Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Monday that he had instructed the Israel Defense Forces to submit within two weeks a plan to “transfer responsibility for civilian enforcement in the West Bank to the Israel Police,” a move widely seen as impractical in the lead-up to a national election.

According to statement from Katz’s office, during a meeting with top military and defense officials Sunday night, he said he “expressed an unequivocal position against violence and the taking of the law into their own hands by unauthorized parties,” apparently alluding to recent attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians.

He also “stressed the need for enforcement in all civilian aspects in the West Bank to be handled by the Israel Police through effective and efficient inter-organizational cooperation,” the statement said.

“It was agreed that the IDF would submit a comprehensive plan on the matter within two weeks, which would subsequently be coordinated with the Israel Police and subject to the IDF’s authorities in the field,” it added.

Katz said Friday that he had instructed the IDF to formulate a plan to transfer civilian enforcement powers in the West Bank from the military to the police.

It was unclear what impact such a measure would have on the ground. Israel has never formally annexed the West Bank, and therefore, the IDF has been responsible........

© The Times of Israel