What Does "exceptional measures" Mean?

AG approved 'exceptional measures' against Duma suspects

Are they Guilty or Not? Why must they squeeze confessions out of innocent boys? Now, it sounds like they want to use TORTUROUS MEANS to get confessions?

I don't understand why the State of Israel has to behave in a manner akin to our worst enemies? The world and the Palestinians must be reading this with glee! Both articles are from Arutz Sheva

Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein has given security services his approval to use "exceptional measures" against the prisoners suspected of being behind the Duma arson and murder.

Deputy Attorney General Raz Nazeri acknowledged this fact to the Knesset Law and Justice Committee, marking the first time that a government official has openly spoken about the investigation.

"There is no investigation under the cover of darkness and we are not hiding anything. Every activity is accompanied by attorneys, some of them with the authority of the Attorney General," said Nazeri, though he added that "We have indeed taken exceptional measures which have brought judicial criticism."

Speaking with Haaretz, Nazeri explained that the "exceptional measures" include taking more than 48 hours to bring the prisoners before a judge and extending their sentences without the prisoners being present. He noted that these are not the only measures, but did not specify what else is being done.

Yesterday (Sunday), the Supreme Court approved the government's request to prevent the suspects from speaking to a lawyer, on the ground that doing so could interfere in the investigation.

The suspects, two minors and one adult, have been held by the Shin Bet internal security service (also known as Shabak) for the past two weeks. Their lawyers, from the legal defense organization Honenu, say that two of the three have no criminal records. They added that, regardless of their clients' past history, "preventing meetings between a layer and a suspect was an extreme act which must never be used outside of 'ticking bomb' cases."

This did not sway Supreme Court Justice Salim Joubran, however, who declared: "I am convinced that due to the severity of the actions allegedly committed by the appellants, and the fear of interference in the investigation of other suspects involved in the case, the balance has yet to change, and that there is room to extend the meeting ban for the suspects."

One suspect's lawyer, Itamar Ben-Gvir, rejected Justice Joubran's reasoning by warning that "It seems like the court gives the Shin Bet investigators too much credit, and the problem is that this kind of behavior may cause an innocent man to confess to a crime he did not commit."

He added, "Sadly, some of the judges ignored the words of the former Supreme Court President, who said that in democracies, the state cannot use all measures against suspects, and in our case we are entering the third week without representation."

Deputy Attorney General admits security services have approval to use 'exceptional measures' on Jewish terror suspects.

The mother of one of three suspects being held over the deadly arson at the Palestinian village of Duma in July has written an open letter to the citizens of Israel, in which she accuses Israeli security forces of seriously abusing her son despite him having no connection to the murder.

The full letter was seen by Arutz Sheva, and has been translated into English in full (see below). The identity of the suspects - two minors and an adult - and their families are the subject of a court-imposed gag order.

Few details are known about the case's progress due to the gag order, but the treatment of the suspects has received much criticism in Israel; among other things, they have been denied legal representation and at least one of them - whose relatives penned the letter below - has allegedly been denied medical treatment in custody.

For their part, authorities claim such extraordinary measures are necessary given the severity of the crimes and the potential for interference in the case. However, the defendants' attorneys argue such measures are almost without precedent, even against Arab terrorists suspected of similar or worse crimes.

One suspect was recently released to house arrest due to lack of evidence, and after a massive public outcry from his friends, family and neighbors.

To our brothers, the Children of Israel,

As citizens of the State of Israel and with the aching heart of a loving and concerned family, we appeal to you (concerning) a family member - a young man of 18 years - detained for the past two weeks at the Shabak (Shin Bet internal security) facility.

Shabak interrogators are trying to tie our son to the arson which occurred during the summer at the village of Duma.

It should be noted that we know with certainty that on the night of the arson he was at a different location, so it is clear to us that he is not connected to what happened in Duma. For two weeks he has been interrogated day and night; he has not been permitted to meet a lawyer or to speak with his family, and they have denied him medical treatment which he needs.

For two weeks already they have denied him his basic rights required by law. Moreover they do not always permit him to pray or to lay tefillin, and last week they even prevented him from lighting Hanukkah candles. For two weeks we have not seen him or heard from him, and we don't even know where he is or whether he received the basic personal items his family passed on via the Prosecution Service.

As citizens of the State of Israel we are shocked and embarrassed in the face of this blatant trampling of every basic human right of a young man against whom no indictment has been served, and who the justice authorities know has an alibi concerning the suspicions alleged against him.

We are making an effort to turn to the relevant authorities and to do everything in our power to help him receive his rights and to prove, with the help of God, his innocence.

We saw just last week how the mobilization of the entire community of Kochav Hashachar in support of a resident of the community who was also arrested and interrogated at the Shabak facility availed, and he was release to his home on Shabbat eve (Friday).

We ask everyone in whom a Jewish heart beats to join our efforts, to turn to public figures, to do whatever they can to protest from every stage the terrible crime taking place in the democratic State of Israel.

Do you think that if they torture confessions out of these boys, that anyone will believe them?

And then they will take them to trial and put them in prison for how many years?  And then think that they solved the antagonism against an irreligious government that has robbed Israelis of their Jewish Heritage, does not allow Israelis to make a decent wage to support their families, and takes away money from Holocaust Survivors, and cannot see it in their Knesset to alleviate the poverty rampant in Israel?

It's only a matter of time before the Israelis have said "ENOUGH"!