Israeli Defense Minister Orders Police to Take Over Civil Enforcement in West Bank Amid Rising Tensions

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced on Friday that he has instructed the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to prepare a plan transferring all enforcement authority over Israeli civilians in the West Bank to the police. Katz emphasized that the IDF's role should focus on combating Palestinian terrorism and protecting borders and settlements from security threats, while civil law enforcement should be handled by the police. This directive follows remarks made by IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir in the security cabinet two weeks earlier, highlighting the expanding military tasks in the West Bank and the impracticality of soldiers pursuing small groups of settlers causing disturbances.

The decision comes amid escalating tensions in the Palestinian village of Kousra, south of Nablus, where violent clashes between Palestinian residents and Jewish settlers have intensified. Extremist settlers recently reestablished an unauthorized outpost near Kousra after being removed by the IDF, effectively besieging Palestinian families. The IDF has since dismantled the new encampment, but access restrictions remain, with about 70 peace activists prevented from delivering aid to villagers. The village has been under a de facto blockade for months, severely limiting residents' movement.

Katz stated that the police will be equipped with the necessary resources and authority to manage civil issues in the West Bank, aligning enforcement there with practices elsewhere in Israel. The IDF will continue focusing on security threats and terrorism. However, military legal experts criticized Katz's announcement as a populist gesture lacking substance, noting that the IDF remains the sovereign authority under international law responsible for law enforcement in the area. They also pointed to the police's current failure to exercise existing enforcement powers, partly due to political influences.

The move reflects challenges faced by the IDF in managing an increasing settler population and security threats amid limited manpower, exacerbated by exemptions from military service granted to ultra-Orthodox Jews. Some political figures, including Itamar Ben-Gvir, the National Security Minister, oppose transferring responsibilities to the police, suggesting the plan may not advance before upcoming elections. Conversely, Israeli Gantz, head of the Binyamin Regional Council, welcomed the initiative as a step toward normalizing civilian life in the West Bank and called for full Israeli sovereignty over the area.

The recent violence in Kousra followed a deadly attack on Israeli soldiers last month, after which a mosque was set on fire and vandalized with hate graffiti. The village remains under heightened military and police presence, with investigations ongoing. Katz's directive aims to strengthen governance and law enforcement in the West Bank while allowing the IDF to concentrate on its primary security mission.