Nine Right-wing Israeli Extremists Arrested in Jerusalem

Nine right-wing activists were arrested by Israeli police on Monday morning in a Jerusalem apartment. All have been barred from entering the West Bank by administrative orders. Some of the arrest warrants were for violating those orders.

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Administrative orders are issued by high-ranking military officers, not the courts.

A source in the security systems says some of the people detained this morning were involved in other violent events, not just violation of administrative orders.

According to the organization Honenu, which is providing legal aid to six of the detainees through lawyers Adi Keidar and Nati Rom, some of the nine are minors.

Honenu also said that administrative orders were delivered on Sunday night to two more right-wing activists in Jerusalem, not constraining their movements, but only with whom they may be in contact.

Itamar Ben Gvir, a lawyer representing other detainees, claims that the police raid constitutes abuse.

"The police are abusing and persecuting the 'hilltop youths,'" Ben Gvir said, refrencing the name for young extreme Jewish settlers. "When young people are hounded and pushed against the wall, no wonder that some respond and cannot sit still."

In recent weeks the police have been investigating violent incidents, including setting cars on fire in Jerusalem, the West Bank and northern Israel, and offensive graffiti. During the last week, cars were torched in Beit Tsefafa and French Hill, Jerusalem, in "price tag" incidents. On May 9, persons unknown, at least three in number, vandalized property in the village of Neora and 10 days later, a tractor was burned in Burin.