Professors for a Strong Israel

Statement to the Press - 6 September 2004

Re: Administrative detention

Professors for a Strong Israel opposes the use of administrative detention as a substitute for ordinary prosecution, whether the target belongs to the extreme Left or the extreme Right. We oppose it on principle and we oppose it because we suspect that the Sharon government will try to use it to suppress democratic opposition to the Gaza withdrawal plan.

Both the Minister of Defense, Shaul Mofaz, and the Minister of Internal Security, Gideon Ezra, are on record as supporting the use of administrative detention. Today the Minister of Justice, Tommy Lapid, joined them. With such a chorus of agreement, there is a real threat that Sharon will resort to administrative detention in order to carry out his dangerous schemes. We state again that administrative detention without trial stands in contradiction to democratic values and the rights of man, as does the idea of cleansing Jews from their homes and denying their right to live as Jews in the heart of their country.

Dr. Ron Breiman, Chairman of PSI
Tel: 050-5-518 940