Israeli Defense Minister Yisroel Katz announced on Friday his decision to release West Bank settlers currently held under administrative detention orders. This move comes as Israel prepares to release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners as part of a ceasefire and hostage release agreement with Hamas, finalized Thursday night in Doha.

“In light of the expected release of terrorists from Judea and Samaria as part of the hostage release deal, I have decided to release the settlers held in administrative detention,” Katz explained in a statement, referring to the West Bank by its biblical name. He clarified that the decision was aimed at “conveying a clear message of strengthening and encouraging the settlements, which are at the forefront of the struggle against Palestinian terrorism and face growing security challenges.”

He also stated, “It is better for the families of Jewish settlers to be happy than the families of released terrorists.”

The Shin Bet security agency issued a brief response, indicating that the decision was made without their prior knowledge. The statement emphasized that Katz had not sought their input or a security assessment before making his announcement.

In November, Katz declared an end to new administrative detention orders for settlers in the West Bank, signaling a shift in the policy’s application. He stated that the controversial measure would henceforth be used solely against Palestinian suspects. However, at that time, he did not mandate the release of settlers already under such orders.

Under the previous defense minister, Yoav Gallant, 16 administrative detention orders were issued for Jewish settlers. By November, seven of these detainees remained in custody.

This latest development appears to be part of a broader strategy by the government to address internal political tensions. Reports indicate that the move is linked to efforts to placate Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who had threatened to withdraw from the coalition in protest of the agreement with Hamas.

Administrative detention, predominantly used against Palestinians, has occasionally been applied to extremist Jewish settlers. This has drawn criticism from far-right members of the ruling Likud-led coalition, who argue that the practice is unjust.

The policy allows authorities to detain individuals for up to six months without formal charges, with the option to renew the detention indefinitely. Courts provide only limited oversight, and suspects are not permitted to review the evidence used against them. The measure is generally reserved for cases where intelligence indicates a suspect’s involvement in illegal activities, but insufficient evidence exists to support formal charges.

“In a reality where the Jewish settlement in Judea and Samaria is subject to serious Palestinian terror threats and unjustified international sanctions are taken against the settlers, it is not appropriate for the State of Israel to take such a severe measure against the people of the settlements,” Katz remarked in November.

{Matzav.com Israel}