Meir Ettinger
Meir EttingerBasel Awidat/Flash 90

While the two other administrative detainees arrested without trial last August have been released, Meir Ettinger on Tuesday had his administrative arrest extended by four additional months in an order approved by the Central District Court.

Ettinger has already been held for over half-a-year since August 3 in solitary confinement with no charges or evidence against him, after Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon (Likud) signed the administrative order over his alleged "extremism." After the initial order expired, Ya'alon signed a new one for an additional four months, which the court approved on Tuesday.

Ettinger is the grandson of former MK Rabbi Meir Kahane, who was assassinated by an Arab terrorist in 1990, and who called to transfer Arab residents out of Israel and offering those who agreed to leave financial compensation.

Responding to the court ruling on Tuesday, Ettinger's lawyer Yuval Zemer of the Honenu legal aid organization said that "a day in which the court approves the continuation of the administration detention of a man simply due to his opinions is a sad day for democracy."

"Today Ettinger's positions are not pleasing to the ears of the authorities, and tomorrow it's liable to be my opinions or the opinions of any citizen," warned the attorney. "This decision should cause all those who care about democracy and rights of the individual to lose sleep."

Ettinger's wife Moriya earlier this month told Arutz Sheva the draconian detention is a "political arrest" in the most severe prison branch in the country.

He has been held in severe solitary confinement, and is forbidden from speaking on the phone other than with certain close family members. 

He lost consciousness once during a recent 17-day hunger strike protesting the detention his lawyers say is an attempt to "re-program" his religious and political opinions.