Israeli military plans to transfer law enforcement in occupied West Bank to police

The Israeli military has been ordered to formulate plans to transfer law enforcement powers over Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank to the police force, according to The Guardian. The proposed handover has triggered sharp international and regional condemnation, with Palestinian officials warning the restructuring marks a decisive stride toward formal annexation of the territory.

Defense Minister Israel Katz announced the directive following intense domestic and international criticism directed at the military's handling of escalating settler violence. Under the proposed framework, a dedicated police force would be formed for the task and granted the necessary powers and budget. This police force would fall under the National Security Ministry led by far-right minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

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Palestinian leadership swiftly rejected the initiative. Palestinian Vice President Hussein al-Sheikh denounced the move as a flagrant violation of international law, international legitimacy resolutions, and previously signed agreements, as reported by Anadolu Agency. Al-Sheikh stated that the administrative transfer represents a new attempt to impose Israeli law and sovereignty on the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, thereby entrenching the illegal annexation of Palestinian land. He urged the international community, particularly the UN Security Council, to assume its responsibilities and stop these unilateral and dangerous Israeli measures. Hamas similarly condemned the policy, calling it a dangerous step toward imposing de facto annexation and noting that it cannot be separated from government policy aimed at strengthening settlement.

Legal experts and human rights advocates have raised profound questions regarding the operational reality and political motivations behind the announcement. Israeli human rights lawyer Michael Sfard observed that while the military can delegate enforcement duties, it cannot delegate responsibility of the law. Sfard cautioned that creating a normative legal framework that absolves the army and transfers it to police would be another brick of annexation. He also noted that the lack of detail in Katz’s statement indicated it may have been driven more by politics than clear policy, describing the move as a cowardly statement from a defense minister under scrutiny.

The announcement coincided with intensifying turmoil on the ground, notably a protracted settler siege in the Palestinian village of Qusra. As documented in The Guardian coverage, the Israeli army has proved unable or unwilling to remove militants trying to drive out Palestinian residents. In one instance, soldiers retreated from confrontation with the group and forced one of the Palestinian families out of their home, saying they needed it as a base for the unsuccessful military operation against the settlers. That home is owned by a US citizen. US ambassador Mike Huckabee described the Israelis besieging it as terrorists, and said he had requested the Israeli police and army act to remove them, while acknowledging the militants in Qusra represent a very small minority of the settler movement.

Broader displacement and violence continue to reshape the region amid a surge in attacks and construction of new settlements across the occupied West Bank as extremists backed by the most far-right government in Israel's history intensify a campaign ahead of national elections set for October. On Thursday Katz celebrated the re-establishment of a settlement evacuated in 2005 under Ariel Sharon’s disengagement plan, declaring at the ceremony in Ganim that the land of Israel is where they are staying forever. On the road leading to the settlement, the army had levelled Palestinian property and used piles of rubble to block access roads for Palestinian communities.

According to figures cited by the United Nations, occupier violence in the West Bank had reached unprecedented levels, with more than 1,430 attacks documented since the start of 2026 targeting around 260 Palestinian communities. Additional reports highlighted attacks on peace activists, journalists, and religious figures attempting to reclaim land near Jerusalem, including an incident where Israeli gunmen opened fire at unarmed activists in Beit Sahour.

Recent Developments in the Occupied West Bank

• Defense Minister Israel Katz orders military planning for police jurisdiction over settlers.
• Palestinian Vice President Hussein al-Sheikh condemns the restructuring as an annexation step.
• Settler sieges and demolitions prompt widespread displacement across multiple communities.
• United Nations reports record levels of settler violence affecting hundreds of villages ahead of October national elections.