(Israeli) Supreme Court upholds law to detain 'unlawful combatants

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"The Supreme Court yesterday upheld the constitutionality of the law allowing for the detention of "unlawful combatants," which Israel uses to hold Hezbollah fighters.

Supreme Court President Dorit Beinisch and Justices Edmond Levy and Ayala Procaccia rejected an appeal by two Gazan Palestinians who were detained after their involvement in terror activity on behalf of Hezbollah was proved.

The Unlawful Combatants Law authorizes the state to detain foreign nationals who belong to terror organizations or have participated directly or indirectly in hostile actions against the State of Israel. Its goal is to prevent their continued activities."

<snip>

"Beinisch wrote in the verdict that although the law involves substantial harm and the suppression of personal freedom through administrative detention, the harm is proportional.

She noted that it was passed in a "harsh security reality" that justifies the violation of to personal freedom."

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/991956.html

[Name removed]

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[LeftishBrit]

2. Sigh; there seems to be an epidemic of this sort of thing

In the UK, the government have just narrowly pushed through (with all sorts of blatant political wheeling-dealing) an extension of the time when terror suspects can be detained without charge, from 28 days to 42 days.

While I understand the 'harsh security reality' - there comes a time when the suppression of civil liberties is just as bad a threat in the long-term.