Israeli Knesset Rejects Bill Barring Red Cross Visits to Palestinian Prisoners

According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, the Israeli Knesset (parliament) has rejected a proposed law that would have prevented representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross from entering Israeli prisons to meet with Palestinian detainees. The decision was announced following a vote where 36 members of the Knesset supported the bill, but 41 lawmakers opposed it, leading to its removal from the agenda.

During the plenum session, a verbal altercation, which escalated to a physical confrontation, occurred between Knesset members Avir Katz and Ayman Odeh, an Arab representative. Security personnel intervened to end the dispute.

The rejected bill stipulated that Red Cross representatives would be barred from Israeli detention facilities. Furthermore, any transfer of information regarding prisoners to the organization would have required the approval of Israel’s Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, or the Minister of Defense, and would be subject to security considerations.

Despite a request from the Shas party to postpone the vote until Wednesday, the Minister of National Security insisted on its consideration and passage on Monday evening. Following the bill’s rejection, Ben-Gvir criticized the outcome, asserting that Israeli prisoners in Gaza did not receive services from the Red Cross. He also claimed that Aryeh Deri’s coalition, leader of the Shas party, along with Arab representatives, not only failed to serve Haredi Jews but also compromised Israel’s security.