Majority of New Israeli Police Recruits in West Bank Are Local Residents Under Ben Gvir's Leadership
Since January 2025, 236 new police officers have joined the Judea and Samaria District (Shai) of the Israeli Police, with 154 of them (65.3%) being residents of the West Bank. This increase in local recruits is seen by police officials as a sign of growing trust following policy changes implemented by Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and the district commander, which improved relations between law enforcement and the settler communities.
The new officers have been assigned to various core operational roles, including patrol officers, detectives, traffic police, and investigators. They come from numerous West Bank settlements such as Efrat, Ariel, Beit El, Beitar Illit, Givat Binyamin, Dolev, Kochav HaShachar, Modi'in Illit, Ma'ale Adumim, Susya, Kedar, Kiryat Arba, Karnei Shomron, and others. Regionally, Ma'ale Adumim contributed 43 recruits, Shomron Regional Council 18, Binyamin Regional Council 17, Ariel 16, Gush Etzion 16, the Jordan Valley 13, Hebron area 6, and Beitar Illit 4.
Out of approximately 1,400 officers serving in the Judea and Samaria District, 590 (about 43%) reside in West Bank communities, reflecting increased integration of settlers into the district's operational framework. Minister Ben Gvir praised the transformation, stating, "We changed the Judea and Samaria District completely. The police embrace the settlements, work hand in hand with the settlers, and are always there for them." He also commended District Commander Moshe Pinci for his leadership.
Commander Pinci emphasized that the rise in local recruitment represents the greatest expression of trust the police can receive. He pledged to continue fighting terrorism, enforcing the law, supporting settlers, and ensuring security. He noted that for many years parts of the West Bank viewed the police as adversarial, but under the new policy, there is ongoing communication and cooperation with the settlers, whom he called "the salt of the earth."
