Jerusalem: Israel An Israeli rights group said on Sunday it had arrested nearly 800 Palestinians without trial or charge, the most since 2008.
group, hamokedWhich regularly collects data from Israeli prison officials, said 798 Palestinians are currently being held in so-called administrative detention, a practice where prisoners can be held for months, not knowing the charges against them. And they are not allowed access. evidence against them
The group said there has been a steady increase in the number of people held in administrative custody this year, as Israel conducted nighttime arrest raids in the occupied West Bank in response to attacks against Israel earlier this year.
Israel claims it uses administrative detention to deter attacks and deter dangerous terrorists without disclosing sensitive intelligence. Rights groups and Palestinians say it is a degrading system that denies freedom without due process, leaving some Palestinians behind bars for months or even years with no evidence accessible against them. Some resort to deadly hunger strikes to draw attention to their detentions, which often escalate tensions between Israel and the Palestinians.
“Administrative detention should be an extraordinary measure but Israel uses the bulk of this detention without trial,” said jessica montel, executive director of Hamocade. “It has to stop. If Israel cannot bring them to trial, it will have to release all administrative prisoners.”
Hamokade said the figure was a new peak in a growing wave of administrative detentions that began last spring after a series of Palestinian attacks against Israel that killed 19 people. Those attacks sparked Israeli raids, which killed about 100 Palestinians, many of them insurgents or local youth protesting infiltration into their cities or towns, but civilians were also killed in the violence.
The Israeli military says that some 1,500 Palestinians were arrested during that period, including those held in administrative custody. It said the raids were necessary to dismantle terrorist networks and thwart attacks against Israel. Palestinians say the raid is aimed at maintaining Israel’s 55-year military rule over areas intended for a future state.
The last time Israel held several administrative prisoners was in May 2008, also coinciding with an increase in Israeli-Palestinian violence.
of israel shin beto The Home Security Service did not respond to a request for comment.
Israel occupied the West Bank in the 1967 Middle East War and has since established about 130 settlements, with 500,000 settlers. Palestinians want territory with the East Jerusalem and Gaza Strip hopeful for their independent state.
group, hamokedWhich regularly collects data from Israeli prison officials, said 798 Palestinians are currently being held in so-called administrative detention, a practice where prisoners can be held for months, not knowing the charges against them. And they are not allowed access. evidence against them
The group said there has been a steady increase in the number of people held in administrative custody this year, as Israel conducted nighttime arrest raids in the occupied West Bank in response to attacks against Israel earlier this year.
Israel claims it uses administrative detention to deter attacks and deter dangerous terrorists without disclosing sensitive intelligence. Rights groups and Palestinians say it is a degrading system that denies freedom without due process, leaving some Palestinians behind bars for months or even years with no evidence accessible against them. Some resort to deadly hunger strikes to draw attention to their detentions, which often escalate tensions between Israel and the Palestinians.
“Administrative detention should be an extraordinary measure but Israel uses the bulk of this detention without trial,” said jessica montel, executive director of Hamocade. “It has to stop. If Israel cannot bring them to trial, it will have to release all administrative prisoners.”
Hamokade said the figure was a new peak in a growing wave of administrative detentions that began last spring after a series of Palestinian attacks against Israel that killed 19 people. Those attacks sparked Israeli raids, which killed about 100 Palestinians, many of them insurgents or local youth protesting infiltration into their cities or towns, but civilians were also killed in the violence.
The Israeli military says that some 1,500 Palestinians were arrested during that period, including those held in administrative custody. It said the raids were necessary to dismantle terrorist networks and thwart attacks against Israel. Palestinians say the raid is aimed at maintaining Israel’s 55-year military rule over areas intended for a future state.
The last time Israel held several administrative prisoners was in May 2008, also coinciding with an increase in Israeli-Palestinian violence.
of israel shin beto The Home Security Service did not respond to a request for comment.
Israel occupied the West Bank in the 1967 Middle East War and has since established about 130 settlements, with 500,000 settlers. Palestinians want territory with the East Jerusalem and Gaza Strip hopeful for their independent state.