Jerusalem, Nov 22 (IANS): Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz on Friday announced the cessation of the issuance of administrative detention warrants against Jewish settlers in the West Bank.

"In a reality where the Jewish settlers in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank) are subject to serious Palestinian terror threats and unjustified international sanctions, it is inappropriate for Israel to take such a severe step against them," the minister said in a statement.

Katz had informed Israel's Shin Bet internal security service chief Ronen Bar of his decision earlier this week, asking him to put alternative tools to administrative arrests in place.

"If there is suspicion of committing criminal acts, the perpetrators can be brought to justice, and if not, there are other preventive measures that can be taken outside of administrative detention," Katz added, Xinhua news agency reported.

Administrative detention permits individuals to be held without charge for periods of up to six months at a time.

Under the new decision, administrative detention orders will continue to be issued against Palestinians in the West Bank, but will no longer be issued to Jewish settlers.

According to data from the Israeli Prison Service and the army, there were 3,377 administrative detainees as of June, of whom 3,340 are Palestinians.