Israeli defence minister Israel Katz has ordered the military to draw up plans to hand policing responsibility for Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank to the police, a move Palestine's vice-president condemned as a violation of international law.
Key facts
- Israel's defence minister Israel Katz wants to transfer law enforcement powers over Israelis in the occupied West Bank to the police.
- Katz has ordered the military to draw up plans for the handover.
- Palestine's vice-president called the plan a 'flagrant violation of international law' and a step towards full Israeli annexation.
- The announcement follows criticism of the army's failure to tackle militants besieging three Palestinian families.
Israel’s defence minister, Israel Katz, wants to transfer law enforcement powers for Israelis in the occupied West Bank over to the police, according to the Guardian. The plan has drawn immediate condemnation from Palestinian officials, with Palestine’s vice-president describing it as a ‘flagrant violation of international law’ and a step towards full Israeli annexation.
Katz announced that he had ordered the military to draw up plans for the handover of responsibility for policing Israeli settlers, the Guardian reported. Under the current arrangement, the army holds law enforcement responsibilities in the territory.
The move comes amid domestic and international criticism of the army’s failure to tackle militants besieging three Palestinian families, according to the Guardian’s reporting.
Palestinian officials framed the proposed change as more than an administrative reshuffle, casting it as part of a broader trajectory towards Israel formally annexing parts of the occupied West Bank. The vice-president’s characterisation of the plan as a breach of international law underscores the sensitivity of who holds legal authority in the territory.
The Guardian’s report indicates that the plan remains at the stage of the military drawing up proposals, following Katz’s order. Further details on timing and implementation were not provided in the available reporting.
Why it matters
Who exercises law enforcement authority in the occupied West Bank is a central question in the long-running Israeli-Palestinian conflict and is closely tied to debates over annexation. A shift from military to police control of settler policing could carry significant legal and political implications under international law.
Frequently asked questions
What is Israel's defence minister proposing?
According to the Guardian, Israel Katz wants to transfer law enforcement powers for Israelis in the occupied West Bank from the military to the police, and has ordered the military to draw up plans for the handover.
How have Palestinian officials responded?
Palestine's vice-president described the plan as a 'flagrant violation of international law' and a step towards full Israeli annexation, the Guardian reported.
Why is the plan being announced now?
The Guardian reports the announcement comes amid domestic and international criticism of the army's failure to tackle militants besieging three Palestinian families.