Honenu Attorney Adi Keidar; Photo credit: Honenu
Tuesday, May 13, 2025, 15:12 The GOC of the Central Command, Major-General Avi Bluth, signed a five-month administrative restraining order banning a Malachei HaShalom resident from entering Yehuda and Shomron. The resident, a combat soldier in the reserves, is married and has a newborn child. One month ago, the resident was detained and held by the GSS in a two-meter high, two by two meter cell, with cockroaches and fleas for ten days. He was also prevented from meeting with an attorney during the first five days of his remand. He was released without an indictment.
Honenu Attorney Adi Keidar, who is representing the resident, wrote a letter to Major-General Bluth demanding the cancellation of the administrative order. In his letter, Attorney Keidar underscored that there are no grounds for the administrative order: “My client was interrogated for many days by the General Security Service, while he was prevented from meeting with an attorney. His case was brought before the honorable court several times, and when it became known that there was no evidence against him, he was released to house arrest at his home. Moreover, as a matter of course, the order for house arrest was put into effect immediately, without the right to a hearing, a well-established fundamental right that is all the more important when the matter at hand is an extremely restrictive measure.”
The letter continued with a request for an alternative that would not interfere with the resident’s ability to earn a living. The restraining order would greatly damage the resident’s income because he would not have access to his place of work.
Attorney Keidar issued a statement: “It appears that the public criticism of the illegal and unethical activity of the Jewish Department of the GSS is falling on deaf ears. It would be best for the Major-General to listen to the findings and set a different system for imposing administrative orders, including an external, professional review.”
Honenu Director Shmuel (Zangi) Meidad leveled sharp criticism at Major-General Bluth: “The GSS continues to persecute Yehuda and Shomron residents. After Defense Minister Katz decided not to sign administrative detention orders for Jewish Yehuda and Shomron residents, and ordered the GSS to stop issuing administrative orders against them, the GSS found a way to bypass his decision.
“A democratic state does not serve its own citizens with administrative orders. Major-General Bluth is entrusted with defending the lives and ensuring the security of Yehuda and Shomron residents. The GSS demanded that he serve as a rubber stamp, authorizing the persecution of our heroic soldiers. I call on Defense Minister Katz and Prime Minister Netanyahu to put an end to this disgraceful situation, ‘clean the stables’ of the GSS, and immediately replace its head with someone who places Israel’s best interests at the forefront of his considerations.”
While the Malachei HaShalom resident and an additional Yehuda and Shomron resident were detained, the GSS raided their homes. During the raid, their wives were forced to undergo an invasive and humiliating search, conducted by female police officers under orders of GSS agents. Honenu Attorney Eladi Weisel wrote an urgent letter to the police, demanding an investigation of the incident and the prosecution of those responsible. In response to Attorney Weisel’s letter, the Israel Police wrote that the officers involved had been suspended from operational duties, and the Yehuda and Shomron District Commander ordered a thorough investigation of the incident.