Honenu Director Shmuel (Zangi) Meidad; Photo credit: Honenu
Tuesday, December 24, 2024, 17:10 The Central District Court in Lod approved the continued detention of three administrative detainees. They are expected to be released in two months. At the hearing, GSS agents conditioned their agreement to the release on speaking with the detainees to “evaluate the danger that they pose.” The detainees emphatically refused. Honenu Attorneys Adi Keidar and Nati Rom are representing the detainees.
Honenu Director Shmuel (Zangi) Meidad leveled sharp criticism at the GSS: “The administrative detainees were thrown into detention. No evidence against them was presented and they were not granted a trial. The GSS, in their great chutzpah, demanded to ‘have a talk with them’ to check whether or not they are ‘dangerous to the public.’ This is an antidemocratic action by a corrupt authority that has not changed its way of thinking one bit since the Simhat Torah tragedy (October 7). They still cannot distinguish between friend and enemy. Yehuda and Shomron residents are not the enemy. In a civilized state, if one wants to detain someone, evidence must be presented. The elected leaders, led by the Defense Minister Katz, must put an end to this injustice immediately. They must see to it that the detainees are released, and put the GSS in their place. Prime Minister Netanyahu, Minister Katz, the GSS works for you, absolutely not you for them.”
Attorney Keidar also issued a statement: “Unfortunately, the court has blindly accepted the baseless assertions by the GSS. The very idea of a discussion between the sides proves and underscores the fact that punitive administrative orders are illegal. The detainees emphatically and justifiably refuse to participate in such a discussion, designed to humiliate them and glorify the GSS.”
Attorney Rom added: “The administrative detainees have been held in remand for months. The GSS, who declared that the detainees are clearly dangerous, suddenly suggested that alternatives to detention be examined on condition that the detainees speak to them without the presence of an attorney. This is an attempt to re-educate, and the offer by the GSS indicates that there was never a need to detain them. It is painful to see that the GSS chose to fight loyal Israeli citizens and not the enemy.”