There are several types of detention facilities:

A - Civil Prisons (Central Prisons)
B - Interrogation Centers
C - Military Detention Centers (Provisional Detention Centers)
D - Military Detention Camps - Police Stations

A - Civil Prisons (Central Prisons)

By location, they are situated either within 1967 occupied territories or outside. All Civil Prisons (sometimes they are called Central Prisons) are located outside 1967 occupied territories. Some of these hold only sentenced prisoners while others include both sentenced and those with pending trials (some times called Detention Centers).

These are:
- Shatta and Gilboa (It is not clear for us yet if they are going to be two separate prisons or that Gilboa is just another section of Shatta. Gilboa was newly built adjacent to Shatta)

- Kfar Youna (Ashmoret)

- Rimonim

- HaSharon (Includes what is sometimes called Telmond, where there is also a section for minors and another section for female prisoners)

- Hadarim

- Ofek (Minors)

- Nitzan (Ramleh)

- Ayalon (Ramleh)

- Neve Tertza (Ramleh - Female)

- Hospital (Ramleh)

- Shikma (Asqalan)

- Eshel (Birsheva)

- Ohaei Keidar (Birsheva)

- Dekel (Birsheva) - Nafha

- Damun Prison and Kishon Detention Center (mainly Palestinians 'staying in Israel illegally')

B - Interrogation Centers:

There are four official and recognized interrogation centers, though interrogation of Palestinian prisoners might be conducted at various other facilities. The four are located outside 1967 occupied territories.

These are:

- Kishon (Al Jalameh), located within the Detention Center of the same name and the administration of the detention center is responsible over the place. Palestinians being interrogated there fall totally under the responsibility of the Shabak (General Security Service (GSS) - rename to General Security Agency GSA).

- Petah Tekva (Al Mlabbes), located within a Police Station and Police Headquarters of the same name. Israeli police are responsible over the place but Palestinians being interrogated fall under the responsibility of the Shabak.

- Shikma (Asqalan or Al Majdal), located within the Prison of the same name and prison administration is responsible over the facility. Palestinians being interrogated fall completely under the responsibility of Shabak.

- Russian Compound - Jerusalem (Al Maskubieh), located within the main Jerusalem Police station with the same name. Israeli police is responsible over the facility and the complex but Palestinians being interrogated fall under the responsibility and control of Shabak. It is expected that the whole complex there will be evacuated in the near future and returned to the Russian Church. A new complex had been built lately as a replacement that is located next Ma'aleh Adumim Settelment. The new sight is located within 1967 occupied territories but Israel is including it in Jerusalem Municipality as if it is outside the 1967 occupied territories.

- Israel admitted last year of at least one secret interrogation facility (known as 1391 facility) that fall under the responsibility of Military Intelligence but the location of it is still unknown for certain. It is assumed that it is located within a military base outside 1967 occupied territories.

C - Military Detention Centers (Provisional)

These are located within the 1967 occupied territories and usually within military bases and/or settlements. They are run and controlled by the Israeli Army. Palestinians are supposed to be held in such centers for short periods of time (up to 8 days) but in practice some are being held for months in a row. There are sufficient evidences that interrogation is being conducted in these facilities as well though not for long periods. Shabak officers might be present there as well. These are:

- Salem (Shemron), located within the military base of the same name. It is a military complex next to the seam line north west of Jenin that hosts a military court and Jenin district civil administration (a section in Israeli Army).

- Qadomim (Kedomim or Ifraiem), located within a military base called Ifraiem within a settelemnt called Kedomim. It is in the area between Nablus and Tulkarem.

- Huwwara, located within a military base with the same name (I am not sure of the official Hebrew name of the base and the settlement adjacent to it). It is on the outskirts of Nablus next to a Palestinian village called Huwwara.

- Betounia (Benyamin), located within a military base called Ofer. Ofer (Betounia) military base holds a complex of military courts, a military detention camp, the military detention center, and offices for Shabak were short sessions of interrogation are conducted.

- Gush Etzion Complex, located within the settlement bloc of Gush Etzion that hosts a military base as well. Some of the Palestinians being held in the bloc are held in a Police Station there while others in Military Detention Center.

- Erez, located within the area of Erez crossing to Gaza. The area is a military zone that hosts the crossing, industrial zone, military courts, military base, and the detention center. Offices for Shabak are also present there. Though the whole Erez zone is within 1967 occupied territories, it has been a long time since Israel started to deal with the zone as being outside 1967 occupied territories (Annexed).

There are various other military detention centers that had been in the past used but not any more, though they are used still occasionally for very short periods. Dotan (Arabeh) within the military base Dotan south of Jenin, Beit El within the settlement of Beit El outside Ramallah, and Al Majnouneh within a military base near Hebron are some of such military detention centers.

D - Military Detention Camps

These are large detention prisons that are regulated, run and controlled by Israeli Army. They are composed tents with very limited and primitive facilities. There are three of them two are located outside 1967 occupied territories (Megiddo and Ketziot) and one within 1967 occupied territories (Ofer). Recently, Israel started to issue through ICRC permits for family visits in Ofer detention camp stating on it that it is located "within Israel" and there is a gate located just before the military base, where also the Annexation Wall passes. This is a direct evident that areas affected by the wall are being de facto annexed. Almost half of Palestinians held by Israel are being detained in these three military detention camps.

- Betounia (Ofer), located within a military base on the outskirts of Ramallah. - Megiddo, located within a military base in the area of Megiddo or Al Lajoun on the main Jenin-Haifa road. - Ansar or Negev (Ketziot), located five kilometers from boarders with Egypt in the Negev Desert almost half the way between Gaza and Eilat.

As it has been mentioned, there are various police stations, detention facilities that Palestinians might be held in within 1967 occupied territories or outside. Ma'aleh Adumim, Ariel and Beit El police stations that are located within settlements are only some of these. Abu Kbeir police station in Tel Aviv or Akka police station are others. Some old prisons like Damoun near Haifa or police stations in Occupied Golan Heights or near boarders with Lebanon are others that are used occasionally. It was mentioned that there are some secret interrogation facilities that Israel does not admit of having or running but in October last year they admitted of one that now holds the name 1391 military detention/interrogation facility.

ADDAMEER Prisoners Support and Human Rights Association
P.O.Box 17338, Jerusalem
Ramallah Office: Al-Isra' Bldg., 7th floor, Al-Irsal St.
Tel: +972-2-2960446 Fax: +972-2-2960447
E-mail: addameer@planet.edu