Ben-Gvir Imposes Restrictions on Family Visits of Palestinian Prisoners,
Nafha prison in the Negev, in 2019.Credit: Eliyahu Hershkovitz
In a statement issued Friday afternoon, however, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office dismissed the report as “fake news.”
“No decision has been made, and one will not be made until the special hearing on the subject with the participation of all security organizations which the PM scheduled for next week,” the statement read.
On Friday evening, the prisoners’ leadership responded to the report, saying that Ben-Gvir is “playing with fire.” They said that they will announce protest moves in the next few days.
The Shin Bet security service and the Israel Prison service both oppose the move warning it could deteriorate the security situation.
The head of the Palestinian Prisoners Authority told Haaretz that the move will not go unchallenged and that the leadership among the prisoners are expected to threaten a hunger strike in two weeks should the measure still be in place.
The Secretary General of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, Hussein Al-Sheikh, also warned of consequences from the move, saying on X (formerly Twitter) that it could lead to “explosive situations.” He called for the immediate retraction of the move and called on international rights organizations to intervene.
While the Prison Service’s official policy permits visits every two months, in practice families visit for 45 minutes every month in cooperation with the Red Cross and the Israeli Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT). If Ben-Gvir’s decision is implemented, the official policy will be strictly adhered to and families will only be allowed to visit once every two months.
As reported in Yediot Aharonot, Ben-Gvir’s decision contradicts the positions of Israel’s security agencies. They caution that such a significant change could lead to an escalation among the security prisoners, potentially resulting in rocket attacks on southern Israel and an increase in terror attacks.
Opposition comes from the Shin Bet, the Israeli Prison Service, the IDF, Military Intelligence, COGAT, and the National Security Council, who argue that a decision of this magnitude should undergo thorough deliberation within the government’s security cabinet.
In response to the security organizations’ opposition to the move, lawmaker Tally Gotliv of Likud backed up Ben-Gvir, saying that “it is good to know that the Shin Bet and the IDF are working with terrorists and security prisoners. All of the deep state is against Ben-Gvir.”
Likud MK Tally Gotliv, at the Knesset, in July.Credit: Sharia DiamantPrime Minister Netanyahu’s office issued a statement in response to Gotliv’s remarks, calling them “outrageous.” It added that Israel’s “security forces work days and nights to keep Israel secure.”
The National Security Council, which opposes Ben-Gvir’s decision, is concurrently preparing its position for the upcoming cabinet discussion on toughening prisoner conditions. Among other things, this includes reducing televised broadcasts in security wings, the mixing of prisoners, and the potential revocation of the spokesperson’s position, which enjoys special rights.
Ben-Gvir stated on Friday, “The Prison Service must strictly adhere to the legal requirement of family visits for security prisoners every two months. As soon as I became aware of this situation, I immediately instructed compliance with the law.”
Qadura Fares, Director of the Palestinian Prisoners Authority, stated, “Out of grudges, hatred, and racism, Ben-Gvir may lead to an escalation whose consequences are unknown. Clearly, this is a personal decision that not only contradicts international law but also goes against the positions of professional security agencies in Israel who understand the implications.”
Fares emphasized that the issue of Palestinian prisoners affects almost every Palestinian family and requires a comprehensive response. “Party leaders will be required to respond and intervene. Even Hezbollah Chief Hassan Nasrallah addresses the living conditions of Palestinian prisoners in his speeches, so this goes beyond the internal Palestinian context.”
He added that punishments for security prisoners were previously imposed as a result of security and diplomatic events and were lifted after a short period. “Now, it is an arbitrary decision that makes no sense except to ignite the situation.”
A Palestinian source close to the prisoners also argued that the decision would “clearly lead to a security deterioration.” According to the source, “Ben-Gvir wants to spark a fire in the West Bank and Gaza and is playing into the hands of the most extreme elements.” The source also claimed that the minister “wants to disrupt the situation in the prisons, and this will undoubtedly lead to hunger strikes and harm everyone.”
On Thursday, human rights organizations appealed to Israel’s High Court of Justice against the deviation from the law that came into effect on Friday, which denies security prisoners the possibility of reducing their sentences, as stipulated in the previous law.
The previous law aimed to alleviate prison overcrowding and reduce the sentences to up to three years in prison. However, due to a change in the wording initiated by Ben-Gvir, even security prisoners who have committed minor offenses will remain in prison.
The appeal, filed on behalf of three Palestinian prisoners, claims that the law creates arbitrary, sweeping, and vindictive discrimination contrary to Israeli and international law. Additionally, it is argued that the deviation does not rely on any differences between the prisoners and, in practice, leads to discrimination based on nationality, violating the right to equality.
The appeal also includes a request for an interim injunction, claiming that the change also harms the law’s purpose and will lead to worsening prison overcrowding conditions.
This article is reproduced in its entirety.