Minister annexes political gain: Zamir demanded removal of responsibility, Katz cashed in on settler Likud
Defense Minister Katz ordered the transfer of civilian enforcement powers in the West Bank to the police, after he prevented action against rioters in Qusra. Chief of Staff Zamir demanded removal of responsibility. The move is seen as an annexation step, but the police are not prepared.
Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered the IDF to prepare a plan to transfer civilian enforcement powers over Israelis in Judea and Samaria to the police. The move comes after Katz prevented the IDF from acting against Jewish rioters in the Palestinian village of Qusra, which led Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir to demand that responsibility be removed from him. Katz sees the transfer of authority as a significant step toward de facto annexation of the territories, and hopes to solidify his standing on the right. However, the Judea and Samaria District police are not prepared for the task, lacking manpower and resources, and it may take months to implement. The move is expected to provoke international reactions and increase Israel's isolation. Meanwhile, Katz gains political points among settlers in Likud, perhaps as preparation for the day after Netanyahu.