Ben Gvir Prepares Sweeping West Bank Enforcement Plan as Police Set to Gain New Powers

Ben Gvir Prepares Sweeping West Bank Enforcement Plan as Police Set to Gain New Powers

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has prepared a broad enforcement plan for Yehuda and Shomron that would take effect following the transfer of civilian enforcement authority, Border Police operations and administrative-order powers in the region to the Israel Police. According to a report by Channel 14, the plan calls for a significant expansion of police and Border Police activity across Yehuda and Shomron, including administrative orders against far-left activists, renewed weapons searches in Chevron, the relocation of Border Police bases into Areas A and B, and joint training exercises with local emergency response teams. One of the most significant elements of the proposal is the issuance of approximately 20 administrative orders against far-left activists, particularly those operating in the southern Chevron Hills. The report identified Guy Hirschfeld and Yonatan Pollak among those who could potentially be targeted by the orders. The move would represent an expansion of the use of administrative enforcement measures to include activists on the political left. Ben Gvir is also seeking to restore a more substantial Border Police presence in Palestinian cities as part of an effort to increase Israeli enforcement and operational activity. The plan reportedly calls for Border Police personnel to resume proactive operations, including searches of homes in Chevron for illegal weapons. Another provision would permit individuals to enter the Me’aras Hamachpeilah while carrying firearms. Under the plan, Border Police bases in Yehuda and Shomron would also be relocated into Areas A and B. The move is intended to shorten response times and give forces greater operational control and faster access to areas where incidents occur. Ben Gvir’s proposal additionally calls for expanded cooperation between Border Police forces and emergency response teams in Jewish communities throughout Yehuda and Shomron. According to the report, Border Police personnel would conduct joint exercises with the local teams, focusing particularly on scenarios involving terrorist infiltrations into communities and preparations for the possibility of a large-scale assault. The training is intended to improve readiness for extreme security scenarios and prevent a repeat of the type of catastrophic infiltration and mass attack carried out on October 7. If fully implemented, Ben Gvir’s plan would represent a significant change in both the distribution of enforcement authority and the nature of Israeli police and Border Police operations throughout Yehuda and Shomron. {Matzav.com}