Bereaved Families Urge Defense Minister Katz to Secure Release of Settler Tal Yinon Dradik

Twelve bereaved families and parents of fallen soldiers have written to Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, urging him to intervene in the case of settler activist Tal Yinon Dradik and work towards his release. The families called for the implementation of Katz's policy against administrative detentions of settlers, expressing strong support for his stance that such measures should not be used against Jewish residents in the West Bank amid ongoing Palestinian terror threats and international sanctions.

The letter highlighted that despite Katz's declared policy, it is being circumvented by officials under his authority. They cited Dradik's recent detention as an example: Dradik, a resident of the "Kfar Triton" farm in the Binyamin region and father of four, was placed under a harsh administrative detention order by the military commander, requiring him to remain under house arrest at his mother-in-law's home, who refused to host him. He was subsequently arrested for violating this order.

The families condemned the military's actions as undermining government authority and weakening the right-wing, especially ahead of elections. They emphasized that their fallen sons, who sacrificed their lives for Israel's security, would not have approved of Dradik's detention. The letter was signed by parents of twelve soldiers who died in combat, including Yoram Eliyahu, Ruthy Buim, Michal Ben David, and others.

Dradik, represented by the legal organization Honenu, began a hunger strike and later a thirst strike following his arrest. Initially, the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court ordered his release to house arrest, but the District Court overturned this decision, keeping him detained. The families are calling on Katz to exercise his authority to free Dradik and prevent similar cases in the future.