DM Orders 'Detention' for 3 Extremists
JERUSALEM, Israel -- Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon is making good on his vow to crack down on Jewish extremists, which some say stems from the government's determination to show it will not tolerate terrorism, either Jewish or Arab.
There is public outrage in Israel over recent attacks by Jewish extremists, especially the arson attack that killed an Arab toddler and critically injured his parents and 4-year-old brother and the stabbing attack at Jerusalem's gay pride march that killed an Israeli teenager.
While administrative detention has been used against Jewish extremists, it's relatively rare. When it prevents violence, it's justified, but the concern is that it not cross into the realm of free expression.
"Speech in itself is not a crime and you have to be careful about allowing free speech," one Israeli told CBN News. "At the end of the day if they have nothing on these people outside of their distasteful speech, it's better to find the actual perpetrators and punish them to the full extent of the law."
While most Israelis are accustomed to the international community's double standard when it comes to the Jewish state, the arson attacks are a huge trauma for the public generally.
"We've become used to the idea that Jews don't behave like that," he said. "People are very, very uncomfortable with it."
DM Signs Detention Orders
On Tuesday evening, Ya'alon, backed by the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein, signed the necessary paperwork to place a Jewish youth suspected of "Jewish extremist activities" under administrative detention.
Administrative detention allows the government to imprison a suspect for up to six months, renewable by a judge's ruling, without trial or legal representation. It dates from a ruling during the British Mandate and has been used primarily to detain Palestinian Arabs suspected of planning and participating in terrorism against Israelis.
"Minister Ya'alon this evening signed an administrative detention order of six months for the right-wing activist Mordechai Meir of Maale Adumim in connection to this involvement with violent activities and recent terror attacks as part of a Jewish terrorist organization," the Defense Ministry's statement read.
The attorney general approved the arrests of three suspects, with Mordechai Meir, 18, the first to be held under administrative detention.
From House Arrest to Jail
Two days earlier, authorities placed Meir under house arrest and issued a restraining order against entering Judea, Samaria, or Jerusalem for alleged complicity in the arson attack at the Church of the Multiplication last month. Israeli officials believe five people were involved in the attack.
Honenu, an Israeli legal aid organization that says it will represent Meir, issued a statement.
"The fact that only two days ago this young man received an administrative house arrest order and that it has been decided to 'upgrade' the order to administrative detention, points to the authorities' populist style of management," the Israeli daily YNet reported.
The Shin Bet also arrested a second Jewish youth, Eviatar Slonim, on suspicion of membership in an "extremist organization," without providing any further information.
Meanwhile, the court extended the detention of Meir Ettinger for alleged "nationalist crimes."
Ettinger is the grandson of the late Meir Kahane, a controversial Israeli nationalist and founder of the Kach group, who was assassinated in New York City in 1990.
The Israeli government and the U.S. State Department both designated the Kach party and its offshoot, Kahane Chai, (Kahane lives) as terror organizations.
