The letter from Honenu Director Meidad to the Prime Minister
Wednesday, August 20, 2025, 9:04 Honenu Attorneys Daniel Shimshilashvilli and Asaf Gonen appealed to the Lod District Court to allow them to meet with their clients, two Binyamin residents, who were detained yesterday by the GSS. This morning (Wednesday) at 9:30 the court will adjudicate the appeal.
Since the detention, as a result of a statement issued by the GSS, there is a grave concern that exceptionally severe pressure is being applied to the detainees during the interrogation. Yesterday, Honenu Director Shmuel (Zangi) Meidad, wrote a letter to Prime Minister Netanyahu asking him, as the individual in charge of the General Security Service, to intervene immediately and transfer the investigation from that organization because of a conflict of interest and a the suspicion that the GSS is abusing its authority.
In the opening of his letter, Meidad quoted the statement from the GSS that was issued earlier today: “This statement was issued after the detention of two settlers, one of whom is married. They were detained and transferred to the GSS for interrogation. They have been held under extremely harsh conditions, including sleep deprivation, since then. Simultaneously, with the acquiescence of the GSS and the police, a gag order was imposed prohibiting the publication of additional details, citing that, ‘The investigation concerns a serious suspicion of a pre-planned terrorist attack.’ Likewise, the order stated that any contact by the suspects with the media, whether indirectly or directly, would constitute a violation of the gag order.
“This blanket order was announced despite the fact that the charges pertain to clearly criminal, not security violations. In light of the aforementioned, extremely serious questions arise, among them, whether the matter at hand is a terror incident, who was the target, and what was the motive? Additionally, it lists many incidents for which youths and settlers were unjustifiably detained for GSS interrogation. Hundreds of youths have been detained in recent years, usually for throwing rocks or eggs, defacing signs with paint, and similar acts. These actions do not differ from ‘ideological offenses’ that are supposed to be investigated by the police, not the GSS, and certainly not by using any extreme measures.
“Honorable Prime Minister, there is a serious concern that the General Security Service is abusing its authority and artificially classifying every investigation as a matter of national security. In doing so it exercises powers under the GSS Law, denying detainees legal counsel granted by law and preventing the right to a fair process. The aforementioned situation is legally unacceptable, and places the GSS in an extremely problematic light that damages public trust in the rule of law.
“The statement by the police and the GSS also raises a highly serious concern that use is being made of extreme duress during the interrogation of the suspects, as it reports that they are being held under extremely harsh conditions, including sleep deprivation. These are illegal means that are liable to lead to a miscarriage of justice. In light of the above, I ask you with all seriousness to act immediately to prevent the GSS from acting contrary to the GSS Law, to take steps to prevent any attempt on their part to use unusual measures, and to transfer the investigation from the GSS,” concluded Meidad in his letter to Prime Minister Netanyahu.