Israel shifts civil law enforcement duties in West Bank settlements from army to police

Friday 14 August 2026 - 17:27

By: Azzat Manal

Israel shifts civil law enforcement duties in West Bank settlements from army to police

Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz has instructed the military to prepare a plan to gradually transfer responsibility for civil law enforcement involving Israeli settlers in the West Bank to the police, in a move presented by the government as an effort to streamline law enforcement and allow the army to focus on security operations.

The decision followed a meeting chaired by Katz on the situation in the West Bank, attended by senior military officials, including Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and commanders from the Operations Directorate and Military Intelligence Directorate.

Under the proposed arrangement, the Israeli police would establish a dedicated force responsible for civil matters involving Israeli residents in West Bank settlements. The force would receive the necessary authority, funding and resources to assume full responsibility for the tasks currently handled by the military.

Katz said the change was linked to expectations of continued population growth in Israeli settlements, following government decisions concerning the establishment of new settlements and the legalization of settlement outposts. He also pointed to the growing security challenges facing the military, particularly in the central part of the occupied West Bank.

According to Katz, civil law enforcement should not be a primary responsibility of the armed forces. He argued that the military should instead concentrate on counterterrorism operations, protecting borders and settlements, and addressing security threats.

The proposed transfer is being presented by the Israeli government as a change in the way law enforcement is administered in the West Bank. Katz described it as a step toward strengthening governance and maintaining public order while allowing the military to devote greater resources to its core security responsibilities.

The move would require coordination between the Israeli military, police and other government bodies. The authorities are expected to determine the precise powers and operational framework of the new police force as preparations for the transition continue.

The decision comes against the broader backdrop of heightened tensions in the West Bank, where security operations, settlement expansion and disputes involving Israeli settlers and Palestinians remain major issues. The transfer of civil enforcement responsibilities could therefore have wider implications for the administration and policing of Israeli settlements.