Eritrean Arrests Trigger New Clash, Haaretz Targets Ben Gvir

Haaretz attacked National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir this morning over the arrest of Eritrean citizens identified as regime supporters ahead of their deportation from Israel. The police and the Population and Immigration Authority say all of the actions were carried out lawfully and in accordance with public security considerations.

Haaretz this morning criticized National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir following the arrest of Eritrean citizens who were identified as supporters of the Eritrean regime, ahead of their deportation from Israel. According to the report, the police and the Population and Immigration Authority began making the arrests “following pressure from National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.”

According to the publication, the deportation of those detained is not expected to take place soon, since the authority to do so rests with the interior minister, and Israel has not had a serving minister in that post for about eight months. It was also claimed that during this period no attempt was made to transfer the authority to another party.

Haaretz reported that the attorney general’s office had not been informed in advance of the intention to arrest the Eritrean regime supporters, and was not involved in the decision-making process. According to the report, the legal advisers said the absence of a serving interior minister creates a legal difficulty in carrying out the arrests, while the Population and Immigration Authority and Ben Gvir’s office declined to comment to the newspaper.

It was also claimed that a day after a discussion held in a Knesset committee, a meeting took place between Ben Gvir and representatives of the Population and Immigration Authority and the police. According to a source quoted in the report, it was agreed during the meeting that the police would resume arresting Eritreans through an administrative process. At the end of the meeting, police arrested seven Eritreans in Tel Aviv on suspicion of “behavior likely to disturb public peace.” According to the report, their homes were searched and they were handed over to the Population and Immigration Authority on the claim that evidence was found of their support for the Eritrean regime.

Haaretz claimed that the seven were not brought before a court for an extension of their detention, but were held for five days until hearings before the Population and Immigration Authority’s detention review tribunal. It was also written that in five of the seven cases, the evidence presented as support for the regime consisted of Eritrean flags found in the suspects’ homes.

The police responded that “the arrests were carried out within the framework of the law and in accordance with legal directives,” and that the suspects’ detention was extended according to findings that emerged during the investigation. It was also said, “Contrary to what is claimed, each case is examined on its own merits, and decisions are made on the basis of an evidentiary foundation, professional considerations, and a commitment to preserving public peace and security.”