Israeljustice.com March 04, 2007
JERUSALEM — The government has directed police and prosecutors to ignore evidence, rush indictments and request stiff penalties for those who protest the Israeli withdrawal policy from the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
The State Prosecutor has ordered police to arrest those who protest Israel’s withdrawal policy and prosecutors to process indictments and request harsh penalties for minors and first-time offenders regardless of evidence against them. The policy began in February 2005 as the government prepared to expel 16,000 Jews from the Gaza Strip and northern West Bank.
“Indictments should be issued and requests for detention until the end of judicial proceedings against suspects [minors and adults] even without a criminal record if they acted in a way that indicated a real future danger [either for violent actions or recidivism],” the guidelines issued on April 11, 2005 by Deputy State Prosecutor for Special Affairs Shai Nitzan with the approval of the Attorney General Menachem Mazuz and State Prosecutor Eran Shendar and obtained by Israeljustice.com, read. CONTINUE
