Brother of administratively detained Binyamin resident reacts

Thursday, October 31, 2024, 13:07 On Tuesday, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant signed a six-month administrative detention order against Elyakim Harel, a 19-year-old Binyamin resident who was detained by the Yehuda and Shomron Police three days ago. Since Minister Gallant took office two years ago, he has issued 30 administrative orders to Jews, more than any other defense minister. Honenu Attorney Daniel Shimshilashvilli is representing the detainee.

Elyakim’s brother, Shmuel, who is serving as a combat reservist in Lebanon, leveled sharp criticism at Minister Gallant: “I have been fighting in the reserves for over 230 days. Currently, I’m on maneuvers in Lebanon. Many members of my family are fighting on all of the fronts. My brother Elyakim was administratively detained for six months by the Defense Ministry. The GSS and the Defense Minister decided to throw my brother into detention without a trial and without presenting proof. The contemptible use of administrative orders against Yehuda and Shomron residents must stop. Gallant has indiscriminately signed dozens of orders since he took office. I call on members of the government and members of Knesset to put an end to this practice, cancel the orders, stop using this draconian measure against Jews, and differentiate between friend and enemy.”

Shmuel Harel (Hebrew); Video credit: Free use

Honenu Attorney Daniel Shimshilashvilli, who is representing Elyakim, also issued a statement: “A disproportionate number of Yehuda and Shomron residents are falling in battle, and Minister Gallant is sending their brothers to administrative detention. Some decision makers, the same authorities who were not removed from their positions despite their failure to defend Israel on October 7, have not yet changed their mindset which has been shown to be so wrong.”

Referencing a letter that Defense Minister Gallant sent to Prime Minister Netanyahu regarding the multi-fronted war that Israel is fighting against terror organizations, Attorney Shimshilashvilli criticized the army’s priorities: “By throwing another youth into a dungeon behind bars, without presenting any evidence and without granting a trial, Minister Gallant has proven that in the war against Jewish residents of Yehuda and Shomron he is determined to defeat the fictional ‘Jewish enemy’ by any means, however unethical.”

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