IDF transfers powers in occupied West Bank to pro-settler civil servants

[Passages]

‘Actual annexation’ taking place, says NGO analyst, as legal powers transferred to officials led by far-right Bezalel Smotrich

Peter Beaumont in Jerusalem
Thu 20 Jun 2024 10.32 EDT

The Israeli military has quietly handed over significant legal powers in the occupied West Bank to pro-settler civil servants working for the far-right minister Bezalel Smotrich.

An order posted by the Israel Defense Forces on its website on 29 May transfers responsibility for dozens of bylaws at the Civil Administration – the Israeli body governing in the West Bank – from the military to officials led by Smotrich at the defence ministry.

Smotrich and his allies have long seen control of the Civil Administration, or significant parts of it, as a means of extending Israeli sovereignty in the West Bank. Their ultimate goal is direct control by central government and its ministries. The transfer reduces the likelihood of legal checks on settlement expansion and development.

SNIP
Netanyahu has become more reliant on the support of Smotrich and other far-right elements of his coalition government since the moderate former defence minister Benny Gantz quit Israel’s emergency war cabinet in a row over strategy in the Gaza war and how to bring home Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jun/20/idf-transfers-powers-in-occupied-west-bank-to-pro-settler-civil-servants

[atreides1]

1. That's great

I'm sure this will work out well...

[TomDaisy]

2. remind me again why they are our allies

[atreides1]

3. Well

I don't know. Maybe it was because they were the only democracy in that region of the world, and they were a buffer at a time when many of the Arab nations were not our friends.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

4. Bibi is being an asshole and is trying to take over the West Bank

[atreides1]

5. Well

If things go badly, he'll be able to blame the settlers.

[mucifer]

6. Those are the individuals President Biden sanctioned

[Passages]

7. US, Germany, UK & arms manufacturers incl Boeing, Caterpillar, Lockheed Martin,

Rolls-Royce Power & RTX must end weapon transfers to Israel: UN experts
"By continuing arms transfers to Israel, States & companies risk complicity in violations of int'l law"

Link to tweet

[PufPuf23]

8. Major action by Netanyahu but crickets. smh kr

[Celerity]

9. K and R for visibility