Israel holds more than 3,443 Palestinians in prison without charging them, a record number in history

The number of Palestinians arrested in West Bank occupied and in Jerusalem under administrative detention has risen this November to more than 3,443thus becoming the highest in historyaccording to the latest report of the Palestinian Prisoners Club and of the Adamer association which also provides legal assistance to prisoners.

This is a legal practice in Israel highly criticized by organizations human rightsapplied only in occupied territory and which allows people to be imprisoned without charge for a maximum of six months. Administrative detention not only presents the option of renew it indefinitelybut those imprisoned can remain in that situation without opening a formal trial against them or without formal charges being filed. They are also not given access to the evidence against them.

This Friday the Israeli Minister of Defense, Israel Katzabolished administrative detention for settlers of West Bank occupied territory, whose presence and violent attacks against Palestinians have increased in these territories since the outbreak of the war in Loop.

“In a reality in which Jewish settlements in Judea and Samaria (the biblical term for the West Bank) are subject to serious threats from Palestinian terrorists and unjustified international sanctions are taken against the settlers, it is not appropriate for the State of Israel to adopt such a severe measure against the population of the settlements“said Minister Katz.

Thus, this exceptional measure, widely criticized by the international community, is officially restricted only to use with Palestinianssomething that essentially already happened in practice.

Since the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023, there have been more than 11,800 arrests by Israel, of which 10,000 were placed under administrative detentionaccording to this report. These figures include both those who remain behind bars and those who have already been released. The analysis also maintains that the largest number of arrests occurred in east Jerusalem and in Hebron, in the south of the occupied West Bank.

“The arrest campaigns have been characterized by an escalation of violations, including brutal beatings, threats against detainees and their familieswidespread destruction of property, confiscation of vehicles, money and jewelry, and destruction of infrastructure, especially in the refugee camps of Tulkarem and Jenin“, denounces the report.

The truth is that the occupied West Bank is experiencing its greatest spiral of violence since the Second Intifada (2000-05), and so far in 2024 Some 450 Palestinians have been killed in the territory by Israeli firemostly militiamen from the refugee camps, but also civilians, including at least 71 minors.

Furthermore, the report also highlights that At least 45 prisoners have died in custody since October 7in addition to another dozen deaths whose identities and circumstances remain unrevealed by the Israeli army.

Censorship in the Israeli media

Not only the media and international organizations are critical of these types of practices that reduce the rights of the Palestinian people to zero. Some Israeli newspapers, such as Haaretzone of the most read newspapers in the country, also has questioned certain decisions of his Governmentwhich has led him to be sanctioned by the authorities.

“Today the Netanyahu Government approved a resolution to sanction ‘Haaretz’, suspending any state advertising, State-funded subscriptions either any other connection with the newspaper. “We will not allow ourselves to be dissuaded,” he reported. Noa Landauthe deputy chief director, in her X account.

“To all my colleagues who remain silent today in the face of the illegal sanctions that have just been imposed on us, Don’t be surprised when your day comes“, he added.

The incident that ended up dissolving the relationship with the Government was the speech given by its owner, businessman Amos Schocken, where he accused the Executive of “impose a cruel regime of segregation against the Palestinian community“during the Gaza war.