Tal Yinon Dardik released as court finds detention grounds insufficient

The Jerusalem Magistrate's Court ordered the immediate release of settler Tal Yinon Dardik on Tuesday, finding that there were insufficient grounds to continue his detention. Prosecutors had sought conditions for his release tied to a revised military order, but the court rejected this request.

“

The ruling therefore ends Dardik’s detention but does not allow him to return freely to the West Bank or invalidate the security establishment’s assessment that restrictions against him are warranted.

Judge Amir Shaked released Dardik without imposing additional conditions through the criminal proceedings. However, Dardik remains subject to a separate military order issued Monday that prohibits him from entering nearly all of the West Bank and requires regular reporting to the police. This ruling ends his detention but does not grant him free movement in the West Bank or invalidate the security establishment's assessment that restrictions are necessary.

Dardik is suspected of involvement in attacks against Palestinians and other nationalist-motivated offenses, including a March raid where a Palestinian man was allegedly subjected to severe physical and sexual abuse. Dardik denies any involvement in these allegations, and no charges have been filed against him for them. Security authorities stated that intelligence linked him to illegal and violent activities that endangered lives and property.

“

Dardik is suspected of involvement in attacks against Palestinians and other nationalist-motivated offenses, including a March raid in which a Palestinian man was allegedly subjected to severe physical and sexual abuse. Dardik denies involvement, and he has not been charged over those allegations.

The criminal case leading to his detention was narrower, charging Dardik with six counts of violating a lawful order and one count of obstructing a police officer. Authorities alleged he failed to remain at his mother-in-law's home in the Adei Ad settlement, as required by an order from Central Command chief Maj.-Gen. Avi Bluth. However, his mother-in-law had not agreed to house him. A military appeals committee ruled that Bluth could not force a third party to accommodate Dardik against her wishes, leading to the cancellation of that part of the order. The Jerusalem District Court upheld this decision, while affirming that Dardik posed a danger to security. Maj.-Gen. Bluth subsequently revised the order, replacing the house arrest with a ban from the West Bank, except for Modi’in Illit.

“

A military appeals committee ruled that Bluth could not compel a third party to accommodate Dardik against her wishes and canceled that part of the order.