The office of National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir may be the one to take over security responsibilities in Judea and Samaria the day after Israeli sovereignty is applied. Is it prepared for that role? Ben Gvir is calm and confident: Sovereignty is a historic and significant step — but not the only one needed.
The interview first appeared in Issue 19 of Ribonut (Sovereignty).
“Sovereignty is huge. It’s historic and sends a clear message — but it’s not the whole picture,” says National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir. “We also need a solution for the Arab population in Judea and Samaria, and the solution I’m referring to is voluntary emigration. What’s good for Gaza is also good for Judea and Samaria. There’s no reason not to begin encouraging voluntary emigration.”
We’ll return shortly to this idea of voluntary emigration, which Ben Gvir places at the forefront of his political vision. But first, we asked him about the range of sovereignty plans currently being discussed: sovereignty only in the Jordan Valley? In Area C? In 82% of the territory?
Ben Gvir is convinced sovereignty can be applied to a much broader area: “Sovereignty over every piece of land we can declare it on — and there are quite a few such areas.”
Still, Ben Gvir sees sovereignty as just one essential component of a broader plan — a plan that must also include practical solutions for the Arab population of Judea and Samaria. At the center of these measures, in his view, is voluntary emigration.
“Just like in Gaza, and just like I see in my hometown of Hebron — and as surveys have shown — when people have the option to leave, some of them choose to do so. That’s why sovereignty over more than 82% of the territory, along with emigration, is the need of the hour,” he concludes.
“If we simply allow them to leave, many will choose to do so.”
Can voluntary emigration from Judea and Samaria be “marketed” to the world as a humanitarian step, the same way it’s framed in Gaza — where the region has been devastated and deemed unfit for habitation?
Ben Gvir points out that conditions in some refugee camps in Judea and Samaria are similarly unlivable, especially after extensive IDF operations to dismantle terror networks: “They have nowhere to return to, nowhere to live. Many homes have been destroyed, so emigration is a viable alternative. Beyond that, life there is hard — economically and otherwise. So if that’s their reality, there’s no reason we shouldn’t also encourage voluntary emigration from Judea and Samaria. We see this already happening in Hebron — many are moving to other countries. Sovereignty is essential, fundamental, and historic — but the population also needs a solution, and that solution is voluntary emigration. These two moves together could lead to a decisive victory.”
Ben Gvir is convinced that once Israel begins encouraging voluntary emigration — and he repeatedly emphasizes the word voluntary — we’ll discover that far more people want to leave than the media or public opinion leaders would have us believe.
“If we give them the opportunity, we’ll find that many, many will choose to leave.”
As for those who choose to stay, “we’ll demand the most basic thing — that they understand we are the sovereign power in Judea and Samaria.”
He also insists on another key step: the dismantling of the Palestinian Authority. “There’s no reason to keep these terrorists around. I see no real difference between Hamas and the PA. In fact, sometimes the PA’s rhetoric is even more dangerous. Not only do they openly call for the destruction of Israel — like Hamas does — they also wage political warfare against us, not to mention paying stipends to terrorists’ families, glorifying terrorists by naming public squares after them, and more. I see them as a serious threat — dismantling the PA is also necessary.”
Ben Gvir also rejects any political arrangement that leaves Arab autonomy in Judea and Samaria: “Autonomy always ends in dreams of a state,” he warns. “Anyone who chooses to stay here and not emigrate must fully understand that we are in charge. No Palestinian Authority. No VIP status. No so-called dignitaries who get their status because they’ve spilled Jewish blood. That era must end.”
Sovereignty and the Role of the Police
The application of sovereignty could significantly impact Ben Gvir’s ministry. If Israeli law is extended to these territories, the IDF would be expected to shift its focus to the borders, while the Israel Police would take over internal security in these areas. Is the Ministry of National Security ready?
“We would be very happy to take on that mission,” replies Ben Gvir, confident that the police are capable of rising to the challenge. He understands this would be a gradual, not immediate, transition — but “the strong police force already operating in Judea and Samaria is fully capable of handling this task.”
“I’m very proud of the changes that have taken place in the Shai (Samaria and Judea) District Police since I took office. There’s a growing focus on real security — targeting Molotov cocktail attacks by Arabs and thwarting Arab terror — rather than chasing after Jewish girls who spray graffiti here and there. The police are doing an excellent job and will know how to manage this challenge.”
To that, he adds and reminds of an unfulfilled coalition item: 'This will also require transferring the Judea-Samaria Border Police (Magav Yehuda and Shomron) to my responsibility, as we agreed in the coalition agreements — and unfortunately, this has not been done.'"