Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered the Israel Defense Forces on Friday to develop a plan transferring responsibility for civilian law enforcement involving Israeli communities and residents in the West Bank to the Israel Police, saying the military should concentrate on fighting terrorism and protecting Israel’s security.
The directive followed discussions with IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and other senior officers. Under the proposal, police would receive the authority, funding, and personnel needed to assume the additional responsibilities.
Katz said dealing with Israeli violence in the West Bank “is not the role” of the IDF “nor is it capable of handling the enforcement of civil issues” there, citing the “expected welcome increase in the number of settlers” following government approval of new West Bank settlements. The defense minister said the military’s responsibility was to combat terrorism and defend Israel rather than “chase youth in the hilltops.”
The decision comes as the IDF prepares to investigate its response to recent unrest in the Palestinian village of Qusra, where settlers established an illegal outpost that was evacuated by the military and subsequently rebuilt. The investigation will examine delays in removing the outpost and the conduct of IDF troops at the scene.
Tensions escalated Tuesday when dozens of settlers entered and took control of Palestinian homes in the Qusra and Jalud areas. The IDF later declared the area a closed military zone.
Settlers also clashed with IDF forces following the military’s evacuation of an outpost built around Qusra.
The US has asked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to publicly condemn the violence, N12 reported. US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee described an attack targeting the home of a family with American citizenship as “a shocking act of terrorism intended to frighten and harass this family.”
