Smotrich Secures Official Status for West Bank Settlement Administration Ahead of Elections

In March 2023, the Settlement Administration began operating as part of coalition agreements in the newly formed Israeli government, but it was initially an unofficial body. This raised concerns among its leaders that any future government or minister could dismantle it. On Wednesday, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced that, in coordination with the Defense Ministry and the Civil Service Commission, the Settlement Administration would be formalized as an official entity within the Defense Ministry. Smotrich, who also serves as a minister in the Defense Ministry, stated that the administration will continue functioning after the upcoming elections. Additionally, the term of Hillel Rot, Deputy Head of the Civil Administration, was extended from four to six years to ensure continuity beyond the election period.

This move strengthens Smotrich's efforts to consolidate and institutionalize the status of settlements and outposts in the West Bank, emphasizing the civilian aspects of life there alongside security concerns. The administration, established under Smotrich's guidance, has shaped settlement policies, including which plans advance, where farms and communities are established, and enforcement against illegal construction. The main motivation behind formalizing the administration is the growing political and settler fear that a change in government could reverse these developments by returning planning and legal powers to the Civil Administration.

A critical factor is that no replacement has yet been appointed for the current head of the Civil Administration, Brigadier General Hisham Ibrahim, who is set to become the military secretary to the Defense Minister. The identity of his successor will be pivotal for the administration's future, especially if Smotrich's Religious Zionism party is excluded from the next coalition and loses its current authority.

The formalization decision was made by the Civil Service Commission's Service Committee, chaired by Doron Cohen, reflecting Smotrich's influence as Defense Ministry minister and his close ties with Defense Minister Israel Katz. While Israel has not officially declared sovereignty over the West Bank, Smotrich's move is widely seen as advancing a "de facto" sovereignty stage. The extension of Rot's term also promotes Smotrich's vision of fully civilian control of the Civil Administration, gradually making it an independent body separate from security forces.