The Architecture of Annexation
THE CLAIM: The Financial Times reports that Israel's security cabinet has expanded powers in the occupied West Bank, giving ministers, not just the military, direct authority over civilian matters. This includes transferring administrative powers from the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) to specific ministries, a move described by figures like ultranationalist
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich as a step to 'bury the idea of a Palestinian state.' THE EVIDENCE: Records show the recent resolution effectively decentralizes the administration of the West Bank, shifting functions previously overseen by a military commander (under international law, the legitimate authority in an occupied territory) to various civilian ministries. This move mirrors Smotrich's
long-stated goal, outlined in a plan presented in February 2023, to apply Israeli domestic law to the West Bank by transferring responsibilities like land management, construction, and environmental issues to ministries in Jerusalem. This is not about efficiency; it's about normalization of civilian control over occupied territory. For instance, the Ministry of Construction and Housing can now
directly plan and approve settlements without the pretense of military necessity. COGAT was established in 1967, following the Six-Day War, as the conduit for military rule. Gradually eroding its authority in favor of civilian ministries fundamentally redefines the nature of control, aligning it with domestic governance rather than military occupation, a practice explicitly forbidden under