Defense Minister Israel Katz has announced a new strategic directive for the defense establishment, under which all enforcement powers regarding civil matters involving the Israeli population in Judea and Samaria will be transferred from the IDF to the Israel Police. The decision was made following a meeting held by the Defense Minister with Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi and other senior defense officials.
According to Minister Katz, the rationale behind the move is the need to focus the IDF on its core missions, including combatting Palestinian terrorism and protecting the country's borders and communities, while relieving military forces from law and order enforcement tasks concerning civilians. Minister Katz noted that the government and the IDF will work to delegate the necessary powers to the police to ensure the policy's implementation. He stated this shift in approach is intended to strengthen governance and the rule of law in the region.
The directive follows a series of tense events near the Palestinian village of Qusra, where ongoing clashes were documented following attempts to erect sheds and illegal outposts on private land owned by Palestinian residents. According to 'Channel 13 News', IDF forces, including soldiers from the 51st Battalion of the Golani Brigade, operated to evacuate illegal outposts near Qusra and the village of Jalud, while confiscating equipment and detaining suspects for questioning. The attempts to construct the structures continued even after initial evacuations by the military.
The Minister's announcement drew mixed reactions in the political arena. Member of Knesset Gilad Kariv criticized the decision, arguing that the directive is contrary to law and could send a wrong message to forces on the ground. Conversely, Yesha Council Chairman Yisrael Gantz addressed the events in Qusra, stating that the private establishment of outposts is unacceptable and that there is no justification for violence against security forces or uninvolved persons, while calling for the regulation of settlement through legal means.
As of now, the IDF continues to perform defense and patrol missions in the area in accordance with situational assessments, while the plan to transfer powers to the police is in the stages of being formulated with relevant echelons.