Ben-Gvir forms new West Bank police force to monitor left-wing activists

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, whose spokesperson was quoted Tuesday, has set up a new Israel Police team that will be responsible for dealing with left-wing activists in the West Bank.

According to the spokesperson, the new team's purpose is to monitor activists who cause instability in the region. It will be part of the central command's Judea and Samaria division and will work in coordination with immigration police and the Interior Ministry, among other bodies.

"Founding the team for handling the anarchists is consistent with my clear policy of fighting those who disturb public order," said the minister.

"Founding the team for handling the anarchists"

These are "anarchist factors who I see in Judea and Samaria or Hebron, cursing IDF soldiers, igniting tempers, inciting and encouraging harming Jews, and in doing so hurting the security of the state," he said.

The minister added that he has "zero tolerance for those who hurt the security of settlers and of The State of Israel."

NGO Peace Now responded to the new team, saying, "Instead of dealing with the settler violence that is rampant in the territories and harms human life and the stability of the entire region, Minister Ben-Gvir directs the police to act against the peace activists who try to prevent [settler violence], and take risks on a daily basis to calm the area and prevent damage to innocents."

Grassroots peace organization Standing Together co-director Alon-Lee Green also responded, saying that the new team's founding is an attempt to keep the truth about crimes occurring in the area from the public.

Founding a special police unit whose whole purpose is to prevent human rights activists from getting to Palestinian towns will not prevent the public from being exposed to the fact that in those territories, there is an apartheid regime - in which the Jewish settlers have all the rights. In contrast, their Palestinian neighbors don’t have any," he said. 

"The new unit will not deter us; we will continue to come and act against the continuation of this reality that hurts Palestinians and Israelis,” he said.

"The Jewish settlers have all the rights, while their Palestinian neighbors don't have any. The new unit will not deter us; we will continue to come and act against the continuation of this reality that hurts Palestinians and Israelis," he said.