Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon has signed administrative arrest orders permitting the arrest of additional right-wing Jews using administration orders. This means the state lacks evidence to charge the recipients of the administrative detention orders but due to suspicions against them, they are nonetheless placed in incarceration.

Earlier this week Israel Police arrested 23-year-old Meir Ettinger who is suspected of heading an underground movement seeking to topple the government. He was been turned over to ISA (Israel Security Agency – Shin Bet) custody and he is being held in an ISA facility in Kishon.

Mordechai Meir of Maale Adumim will sit in jail under administrative orders for six months. Due to the nature of the form of arrest he has no way to file an appeal since he is not charged with any crime. The same holds true for Ettinger.

Meir was under house arrest prior to this on suspicion of involvement in an arson attack against a northern area church. The ISA recommended to Ya’alon that he sign the order to lock Meir up for a half year. Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein has the final say in the matter and he approved the arrest on Wednesday morning 20 Menachem Av. Additional arrests are likely in the coming days.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)