Reasons Behind Israel’s Arrests of Thousands of Palestinians | Inside Story

Reasons Behind Israel’s Arrests of Thousands of Palestinians | Inside Story

Why Does Israel Arrest Thousands of Palestinians? A Deep Dive into a Controversial Policy

In a complex backdrop of ongoing conflict, tens of thousands of Palestinians find themselves imprisoned in Israeli jails, often without formal charges. This troubling statistic raises pressing questions about the governance of law and the ethics surrounding the treatment of detainees in the context of the Israeli-Hamas ceasefire deal, which has reportedly led to the anticipated release of around 2,000 detainees.

The video “Why Does Israel Arrest Thousands of Palestinians?” produced by Inside Story, delves into these issues, featuring insights from prominent voices in the field of human rights and detention laws. The presenter, Neave Barker, navigates through a labyrinth of policies, shedding light on the contentious practices that characterize Israel’s approach to Palestinian detainees.

One of the establishments featured in the discussion is the experiences of Naji Abbas, the Director of Prisoners and Detainees at Physicians for Human Rights Israel. Abbas argues that the mistreatment of Palestinian detainees has been systematically documented over decades, raising significant concerns about whether Israeli practices contravene both international law and its own legal standards. This brings to the forefront not only the humanitarian implications of these detentions but also questions of legality that challenge Israel’s self-image as a democratic state.

Another key voice in the dialogue is Ubai Al-Aboudi, an Executive Director at the Bisan Center for Research and Development, who gives a firsthand account of being held in ‘administrative detention’—a practice allowing the government to detain individuals for extended periods without trial. Al-Aboudi’s testimony highlights the psychological and physical toll of such detentions, adding a deeply personal layer to the broader narrative of mass incarceration among Palestinians.

The discussion culminates with insights from Milena Ansari, an Israel and Palestine researcher with Human Rights Watch. Ansari emphasizes the implications of mass detentions as a means to sustain the occupation of Palestinian territories. She articulates concerns that such policies not only undermine the legal rights of detainees but also fuel ongoing tensions between Israelis and Palestinians, perpetuating a cycle of violence and retribution.

Throughout the conversation, layers of political motivation, security concerns, and human rights violations are peeled back, revealing a contentious conflict that sees the arrest and treatment of Palestinian prisoners as more than just a law enforcement issue. It points to broader themes of power, repression, and the quest for justice, making it a pivotal topic in the discourse on Israel-Palestine relations.

As the video explores these multifaceted dimensions, viewers are left to ponder the implications of Israel’s approach to detentions in an already fraught landscape. With international attention increasingly focused on human rights violations, this discussion serves as a critical reminder of the human stories behind the statistics, urging a more profound examination of justice, dignity, and the rule of law in one of the world’s most enduring conflicts.

Watch the video by Al Jazeera English

Video “Why does Israel arrest thousands of Palestinians? | Inside Story” was uploaded on 10/12/2025 to Youtube Channel Al Jazeera English