Israel To Hold Jewish Extremists Without Trial (moved from ATSNN), page 1

In an attempt to prevent religious Jews from derailing the planned Gaza withdrawal and disengagement, the Israeli government is considering holding Jewish citizens without charge or trial. The procedure, known in Israel as Administrative Detention, is commonly used against Palestinians but rarely used against Jews. The move comes after an Israeli soldier, acting outside the military, shot dead 4 innocent Arabs in an attempt to incite clashes between Arabs and Jews thus stalling the planned pull out.

news.yahoo.com
JERUSALEM - Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said Saturday he would consider holding Jewish extremists bent on derailing
Israel's upcoming Gaza Strip withdrawal without charge or trial, after a Jewish army deserter opposed to the pullout shot four Israeli Arabs to death.

Israel has frequently employed the procedure, known as administrative detention, against Palestinians, but rarely uses it against Jews.

Mofaz acknowledged in an interview with Channel 2 TV that an intelligence desk set up to deal with the withdrawal "didn't operate well" in the case of Thursday's attack, when the soldier opened fire on a bus in a northern Arab town.

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For years the thing that separated the democracies of the West and her allies from the dictators and evil-doers was our respect for the law and civil liberties.

Now, it seems, that very few democratic countries have objections to holding its citizens without trial and without charge. World War 2 was fought based on this very kind of fascist behaviour. It truly saddens me that in this modern age we have fallen back on the draconian mindset of fascists and dictators of last century.

Israel should charge these Jewish extremists and give them a chance to defend themselves in court. Our democratic traditions DEMAND it. I do not accept the lax attitude and flagrant disregard Administrative Detention affords governments. Its the exact same procedure instituted in the UK with our Control Orders. They should be repugnant to any democratic country and be the sole property of dictatorships.

Those who forget the mistakes of the past are doomed to repeat them.

[edit on 6/8/05 by subz]