New Civilian Powers Over West Bank Stir Annexation Concerns
A recent shift in administrative power in the West Bank has raised concerns over Israel’s intentions toward the area. The government has reassigned significant legal authority over the West Bank from the military to a civilian, who is a close associate of the far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. This change breaks with a longstanding policy dating back to 1967, which maintained that military officers would manage civilian issues in the region.
This strategic shift grants the new civilian administrator, under Smotrich’s direction, extensive control over the development of West Bank settlements. This move is seen by many as a step toward the full annexation of the territory. Yehuda Shaul, a staunch anti-settlement activist, referred to this as “de jure annexation,” highlighting a major extension of Israeli civilian governance into the West Bank.
Michael Sfard, a prominent left-wing human rights lawyer, emphasized to The Guardian that this rearrangement shifts “vast areas of administrative power from the military commander to Israeli civilians working for the government.” This restructuring is expected to quicken settlement expansion, closely aligning with Smotrich’s publicized goals to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state.
The Civil Administration, a Defense Ministry body that oversees a range of civilian aspects such as construction and infrastructure, is now led by Brig. Gen. Hisham Ibrahim but will see more civilian influence with the addition of Hillel Roth as deputy head. Roth is known for his previous educational and professional engagements with far right-wing groups.
Smotrich described the restructuring within the Defense Ministry as creating a separate civilian system akin to a government ministry, positioning Roth in a pivotal role, which significantly influences civilian life in the West Bank.
