Minister of Defense Canceled Order Against Suspect of Abusing Palestinians, Central Command Chief Appealed
In an unusual meeting in the cell where Tal Yinon Dardik is being held, Minister of Defense Israel Katz offered him detention alternatives. Dardik, who is on a hunger strike, refused these as well, but Katz announced that his appeal against the restriction order must be accepted. Central Command Chief Avi Bluth opposes this and has appealed to the District Court along with the prosecution.
On Friday, Minister of Defense Israel Katz and his special project manager for dealing with the 'hilltop youth' in Judea and Samaria, Colonel (res.) Avichai Tanami, met with Tal Yinon Dardik, who is being held in a detention cell on suspicion of abusing Palestinians and being involved in nationalist crime.
During the meeting, Katz offered Dardik alternatives to the house arrest he is currently under, but Dardik refused and requested to stay at his parents' home or his own home. Today, the Minister of Defense announced that the appeal filed against the restriction order received by Dardik should be accepted.
The first order against Dardik was issued in 2015, when he was 17 years old. This is an order that allows for the restriction or denial of certain rights of a person due to concerns about danger to the public. Over the years, he has received three additional restriction orders, including the current one. Furthermore, Dardik was under administrative house arrest at the end of 2023.
According to Katz, "due to flaws in the manner the order was issued," which was submitted by the Central Command in accordance with Shin Bet recommendations, he instructed not to renew it but rather to "deal with the problem in other ways."
On the other hand, this evening, Central Command Chief Avi Bluth and the Jerusalem District Attorney's Office filed an appeal to the Jerusalem District Court against the Appeals Committee in Judea and Samaria, in which they demand to keep the administrative order against Dardik in effect. Dardik refused administrative house arrest and other detention alternatives, and demanded to stay only at the farm where he resides. Because of this, he is being held in a detention cell, and in protest, he began a hunger strike that has been ongoing for more than 20 days.
The events in which Dardik is suspected occurred in the village of Khumsa in March, during Operation 'Lion's Roar'. Among other things, according to the suspicion, he was involved in tying a Palestinian by his genitals with a zip tie. He himself denies his part in the events and claims he was not involved in nationalist crime. An evidentiary basis for filing an indictment following the incident has not been formed, but in the security establishment, they say they are working to translate intelligence information into evidence that will be admissible in court.
Meanwhile, Dardik's associates claim that there is a real danger to his life following the hunger strike he began. The 'Honenu' organization, which represents Dardik, stated:
"Contrary to the position of Minister of Defense Israel Katz, which was published in his announcement to the public, the Central Command Chief Avi Bluth and the prosecution turned to the court and demand to keep the administrative order against Dardik in effect. The Central Command Chief decided to fight the elected echelon - this is no longer just a trampling of rights, it is also a blow to Israeli democracy and the order of government. We call on Minister Katz to exercise his authority and not allow the rule of bureaucrats to run the country."
