Israel to Transfer West Bank Civilian Law Enforcement from IDF to Police

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz instructed the Israel Defense Forces on Friday to prepare a plan transferring all civilian law enforcement authority for Israeli communities in the occupied West Bank to the Israel Police. According to Defense Minister Israel Katz, the military must refocus on combating Palestinian terrorism and defending borders, moving away from policing Israeli settlers in the territory.

Defense Ministry Directives and Military Realignment

Defense Minister Israel Katz announced on Friday that the military’s role is to fight Palestinian terrorism and focus on defending borders and communities against threats, according to statements reported by The Jerusalem Post. Under the proposed directive, all responsibility for enforcing civilian matters and maintaining law and order among the approximately 500,000 Israeli settlers living in the West Bank would shift from the IDF to the Israel Police.

According to Al-Monitor, Katz specifically criticized the military’s current involvement by stating the army’s job is not to “chase boys on the hilltops,” referencing the Hilltop Youth settler faction frequently accused of violence against Palestinians. The Israel Police would prepare and establish an appropriate force to handle civil matters, backed by necessary powers and budgets, per the Defense Ministry announcement cited by Al-Monitor.

Clashes, Settler Sieges, and International Condemnation

The military restructuring order follows a week-long settler siege in Qusra, a village near Nablus. According to Al-Monitor, Israeli settlers blockaded Palestinian families inside their homes, cutting them off from food, water, and medical supplies. Activists and lawmakers, including Ofer Cassif from the Hadash party, successfully delivered emergency supplies to the besieged homes on Friday after inspections by the military.

Violence continued across the West Bank on Friday. The Palestine Red Crescent Society reported that two people sustained gunshot wounds near Hebron, while a 16-year-old boy was hospitalized for a gunshot wound in Bethlehem. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee condemned settler violence on Thursday as “disgusting” and “thuggish behaviour,” noting that U.S. intervention prompted Israeli action against specific incidents. Additionally, France’s foreign ministry condemned the siege in the strongest possible terms on Friday, urging Israeli authorities to arrest those responsible.

Internal Security Disagreements and Political Repercussions

The proposed transfer of authority triggered pushback from military leadership and political figures. According to N12 reports cited by The Jerusalem Post, IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir told the Security Cabinet that it is impossible for soldiers to continually chase small groups giving settlements a bad name, adding that while the army cooperates with police, the IDF should no longer handle these specific missions.

However, a senior police official criticized Katz’s decision in comments to N12, stating that the Defense Minister had “better learn how things work” and accusing him of getting confused. MK Gilad Kariv of The Democrats similarly denounced the plan. According to The Jerusalem Post, Kariv stated that the directive contradicts Israeli and international law, serves no national security interest, and effectively sends a message to troops on the ground that they should not act against Jewish terrorism.

Israeli media outlets noted that implementing the transfer of enforcement powers remains highly unlikely before the upcoming elections scheduled for October 27, amidst a competitive political landscape for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing government.