Israeli Defense Minister Orders Transfer of Civil Enforcement in West Bank to Police, Advances Legal Farm Regulation

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has instructed the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to submit a comprehensive plan within two weeks to transfer responsibility for civil enforcement activities in the West Bank to the Israeli Police. This directive was issued during a follow-up meeting held on Sunday with top security officials, including IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir and Central Command Chief Major General Avi Blot. The plan will be developed in coordination with the police and subject to the IDF's operational authority in the area.

During the meeting, Katz reviewed recent IDF and Shin Bet operations in the West Bank, praising the military's counterterrorism efforts and noting a second consecutive year of reduced terrorist activity. He highlighted the capture of terrorist camps in northern Samaria as a turning point in weakening terrorism and emphasized preparedness for further operations if terrorist activity escalates. The discussion also addressed illegal acts and violence by a minority of Jewish settlers, with Katz firmly condemning unauthorized violence and the use of force by unqualified actors, stating, "We will not allow violence and taking the law into one’s own hands by unauthorized groups."

Alongside the shift in enforcement responsibilities, the meeting agreed to expedite the legalization process for West Bank farms. Katz described settlement expansion as vital for strengthening security. Major General Blot supported establishing and regulating farms in suitable locations, in accordance with legal and security permits. The Defense Ministry’s legal advisors are advancing regulations to define conditions under which some farms can be legalized. Concurrently, authorities are considering imposing economic deterrents against illegal or unregulated activities that impose significant costs on the defense system, alongside criminal measures.