Exclusive: IDF reduces defence forces in West Bank

Israel’s military is set to significantly scale back its defence forces in West Bank settlements, raising concerns about the security of local communities, as noted by Ynet.

Following the outbreak of war on October 7, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) bolstered settlement protection with thousands of additional troops and local defence fighters, aiming to prevent attacks similar to those in Gaza.

Now, military planners are reportedly considering a substantial reduction in personnel, placing much of the responsibility for local security on civil emergency units.

Security sources said no final decision has yet been made. Over recent months, IDF representatives have met repeatedly with local authorities to prepare them for a gradual drawdown of forces. The Central Command has held frequent briefings with settlement leaders and council security officers to coordinate the process.

During the war, Central Command implemented a series of “structural measures” to enhance security, including clearing areas around settlements, installing technological security systems, and equipping hundreds of residents.

However, military sources noted that maintaining the current troop levels long-term is not feasible, leaving completion of some defence positions to be funded partly by residents and partly by the Ministry of Defence.

Religious Zionist Party lawmaker Zvi Sukkot warned the Chief of Staff, General Eyal Zamir, in a letter that the planned reduction could leave settlements under-protected. “To my knowledge, a directive was recently issued to reduce local defence forces in the West Bank by about 30 per cent in the coming weeks, with the intention of eventually halting their activity entirely,” Sukkot wrote.

“This is without returning previously deployed local defence troops to their posts. The result is a significant gap between settlement security needs and the forces currently allocated by the IDF, which residents are expected to cover themselves.”

Sukkot criticised the plan as problematic, noting that small settlements cannot reasonably fund the required security and that imposing heavy personal costs on citizens for their own protection is unacceptable. He added that halting local defence operations without an alternative or restoring military personnel would leave settlements with fewer troops than before the war, even as threats have intensified.

The IDF responded that assessments of force deployment are ongoing and that units and personnel will be notified once decisions are finalised. “Regardless of the decision, settlements in the West Bank have trained civil defence teams and improved security infrastructure, alongside operational forces deployed across the region,” the military said.

By Aghakazim Guliyev