Judea and Samaria police force could double under Katz’s civilian enforcement plan

The proposal would not extend to Areas A and B, where officials said during discussions that only the IDF and Palestinian Authority may operate.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Defense Minister Israel Katz’s plan to transfer civilian enforcement responsibilities in Judea and Samaria from the IDF to the Israel Police would apply only to Area C and would require a major expansion of police forces in the region, Arutz Sheva-Israel National News reported.

The proposal would not extend to Areas A and B, where officials said during discussions that only the IDF and Palestinian Authority may operate.

Katz met approximately two weeks ago with IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, Central Command Chief Avi Bluth, Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories Yoram Halevi and Judea and Samaria District Police Chief Moshe Pinchi to discuss the proposed changes.

Halevi told participants that the development of farms as a new form of settlement in Area C had created a need for additional security and enforcement arrangements.

Participants agreed that COGAT would complete the process of transferring civilian enforcement powers to the police, Arutz Sheva reported.

Officials also discussed substantially increasing the police presence in the area. The Judea and Samaria District currently has approximately 1,500 officers, but officials said meeting the new responsibilities would require doubling that number to about 3,000.

Security officials said several additional measures would be necessary before the transfer could take place. They said a new legal framework would be required to regulate police authority in Judea and Samaria, describing the change as one that would mean “largely undoing the Oslo Accords.”

Officials also said a fighting force would need to be established to provide security and law enforcement in new areas.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Police Commissioner Danny Levi did not participate in the two meetings held on the issue, although both received updates through separate channels, Arutz Sheva reported.

Police officials stressed that their role under the proposed arrangement would center on law enforcement and protecting Israelis.

“We are not going to be the bad force against the Israeli settlement movement,” police officials told Arutz Sheva. “The police’s goal is to provide enforcement and security for Israeli citizens.”

Katz instructed the IDF on Friday to begin preparing for the Israel Police to take over enforcement of civilian matters concerning Israelis in Judea and Samaria, a responsibility currently handled in part by the military.

The defense minister said the change would allow the IDF to direct its resources toward counterterrorism and Israel’s broader security needs. The police would be given additional powers, personnel, and funding to carry out the expanded role.

The decision was made following consultations involving IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and other senior military officials.

Katz argued that policing civilian activity should not fall to the military, saying it “is not the role” of the IDF “nor is it capable of handling the enforcement of civil issues” in Judea and Samaria.

He also pointed to what he called the “expected welcome increase in the number of settlers” resulting from the government’s approval of additional settlements in the area.