Following Qusra riots: Katz seeks to transfer authority over Jewish extremists to police

Defense Minister Israel Katz stated on Friday, in the wake of the riots in Qusra, that he has instructed the IDF to prepare a plan to transfer all enforcement powers regarding Israeli citizens to the police.

"The IDF's role is to fight Palestinian terror and focus on protecting the borders and communities against threats," he said. "All responsibility for enforcing civilian issues and maintaining law and order will be transferred to the police."

According to Katz, he held a discussion on the situation in Judea and Samaria yesterday with Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, the head of the Operations Directorate, the head of Aman, and other commanders. He instructed the IDF to formulate the plan "in coordination with the police and relevant authorities," asserting that the police should handle Israeli citizens as they do "anywhere else in the State of Israel."

Since Israel has not applied sovereignty in Judea and Samaria, the IDF serves as the sovereign authority in the territory and is responsible for managing riots by both Israeli citizens and Palestinians. While the move is seen by some as a step toward annexation, the government has previously acknowledged that applying sovereignty is currently unfeasible due to international opposition.

Questions remain regarding whether the police possess the necessary manpower, particularly given their reliance on the IDF for security when operating in areas A and B. Israel Gantz, head of the Binyamin Regional Council and chairman of the Yesha Council, welcomed the initiative, stating: "It is time for civilian life in Binyamin, Judea and Samaria to be conducted like anywhere else in the State of Israel: the police are responsible for law enforcement and order, and the IDF is focused on its main mission, security and defeating terror."