Israel takes revenge on Palestinians with administrative detentions: Head of Palestinian prisoner group

By Qais Abu Samra

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) - Israel uses administrative detention, inherited from the British mandate, as a tool of revenge against Palestinians, according to the head of the Palestinian Commission on Prisoners, Kadura Fares.

Since the start of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip on Oct. 7, a large wave of detentions and arrests have taken place in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.

A total of 4,675 Palestinians have since been rounded by Israeli forces, according to the latest data from Palestinian prisoners’ affairs groups.

At least 2,870 Palestinians are held in Israeli detention facilities under administrative detainees; 2,345 were detained after Oct. 7. It is the highest figure in the last 30 years.

Administrative detention allows Israeli authorities to extend the detention of a prisoner without charge or trial.

The policy has been inherited from the British mandate regime on Palestine where the British detained Palestinians without charge under an emergency law in 1945.

The policy, prohibited by international law, has been implemented by Israel against all Palestinians, including women and children, since 1967.

- Unprecedented increase of administrative detainees

“There has been an unprecedented increase in the practice of administrative detention,” Fares told Anadolu.

“Eighty percent of those detained after Oct. 7 were arrested without any charges,” he said.

The official stressed that “Israel arrests Palestinians in a vindictive and selective manner.”

Fares explained that “Palestinians are divided into two groups after their arrest. Those with an indictment, and those with no charges.”

"Never in the history of Palestine has the number of administrative detainees increased this much,” he said.

“Israel doesn’t stop at arresting Palestinians, it also demolishes their houses, tortures and intimidates them on the way to prison and during interrogation as part of its war of revenge against the Palestinian people,” he added.

- Israel -- a gang country’

“Palestinian prisoners are subjected to brutal interrogation, hunger, cold and torture every hour of the day,” Fares said, noting that “this leads to their deaths most frequently.”

“Israel has become a disgusting regime that has gone completely out of control,” the official stated.

He noted that “Israel started as a terrorist group and now it has turned into a gang coalition.”

Fares pointed out that “Israel arrests Palestinians who are active in society, such as academics, former members of the legislative council, and administrators of institutions.”

He said Palestinian resistance would include the suspension of administrative detention in hostage swap negotiations, however, Israel would be expected to reject the proposal.

- Administrative detention used as psychological warfare tool

“Israel uses administrative detention to intimidate Palestinians and discourage them from playing their social roles,” said Palestinian writer and former prisoner Waleed Al-Houdali.

Houdali previously was imprisoned for 12 years and was in administrative detention twice; for 20 months and four months.

"Administrative detention is renewed at the last moment when you expect to be released. This is to deal a psychological blow to the detainee and his family,” said Houdali.

“Administrative detention courts are a theatrical show,” the Palestinian writer said, noting that “they are a tool of psychological warfare.”

Houdali’s wife was also arrested and taken from her toddler daughter under administrative detention for 36 months.

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi​​​​​​​ in Ankara