Ministers hold off on bill that would extend the long arm of Ben Gvir

Ministers are punting for now on whether to back a proposed bill that would give far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir sweeping powers.

The proposal, submitted by a member of Ben Gvir’s far-right Otzma Yehudit party, is aimed at expanding use of the controversial tool of administrative detention, which currently can be utilized by the defense minister to hold terror suspects without trial.

After discussion, the ministers decide to hold off on determining if they will back the measure or let it go to the Knesset as a private bill, which would make it less likely to survive.

Among the other tools the proposal hands Ben Gvir — in cases where he is “convinced that there’s a reasonable concern of harm to public security” — are the ability to impose travel restrictions within Israel or a ban on leaving the country; requiring people to live in certain areas; and prohibitions on the purchase of “certain” goods and services, among other radical measures.