Hebron, MINA – Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has announced the formation of a new police unit composed of armed Israeli settlers, a move seen as escalating the militarization of illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.
The unit, called the First Response Unit, consists of over 100 settlers and will operate under the West Bank division of the Israeli police. According to official statements, the unit is designed to provide rapid response to security incidents and support regular law enforcement operations in and around Israeli settlements.
Members of the unit will receive combat training, law enforcement authority, and advanced equipment, raising concerns from human rights advocates and international observers about the growing role of settlers in state-backed security forces.
The announcement comes amid increased settler violence and calls by Israeli officials, including 14 cabinet ministers and the speaker of the Knesset, to formally annex the occupied West Bank.
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Under international law, all Israeli settlements in the occupied territories are considered illegal. The United Nations and the International Court of Justice have repeatedly condemned settlement expansion as a major obstacle to peace and a violation of Palestinian rights.
Since the start of the Israeli assault on Gaza in October 2023, more than 990 Palestinians in the West Bank have been killed and over 7,000 injured by Israeli forces and settlers, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. []
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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