Move seen as part of Israeli efforts to deepen its de facto annexation of occupied West Bank
Far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir formed a new police unit composed of illegal armed settlers, a move seen as an effort to deepen Israel's de facto annexation of the occupied West Bank.
The extremist minister announced the move during a ceremony held Wednesday at the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron in the southern West Bank.
Dubbed the “First Response Unit,” the new force will operate under the West Bank police division and is comprised of over 100 illegal settlers from Israeli settlements, a police statement said on Thursday.
According to the statement, the unit's mission is to provide “rapid and effective emergency response,” enhance “personal security,” and help combat crime in the area.
Police claimed that the unit was created based on “strategic thinking,” and was designed “to provide a rapid, professional, and effective response to any incident.”
“This step confirms the Israel Police's commitment to strengthening the defense of the settlements,” it added.
Ben-Gvir described the unit's settlers as an “inseparable part of society,” praising them for providing “quick responses in the field.” He called the move an embodiment of “real sovereignty and practical Zionism,” suggesting it contributes to Israel's long-sought goal of annexing the West Bank.
The police said members of the new unit received combat training, special police powers, and advanced equipment.
The development comes just a week after 14 Israeli ministers and Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana signed a letter demanding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu immediately annex the occupied West Bank.
The UN considers Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories illegal under international law and has repeatedly warned that settlement expansion undermines prospects for a two-state solution.
Deputy Police Commissioner Avshalom Peled claimed that the unit would function as a volunteer force supporting official police operations, serving as an “additional layer” of security for illegal Israeli settlers in the West Bank.
Ben-Gvir has previously distributed thousands of firearms to illegal settlers, citing the need to protect their communities in the occupied West Bank.
Critics, including opposition figures, accuse the extremist minister of exploiting his role to form militias under the guise of a so-called “National Guard.”
Since the start of Israel's genocidal war on Gaza, at least 994 Palestinians have been killed and more than 7,000 injured in the West Bank by Israeli forces and illegal settlers, the Palestinian Health Ministry said.
In a landmark opinion last July, the International Court of Justice declared Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory illegal and called for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
