# Netanyahu, Gallant and Smotrich split West Bank Civil Administration civilian powers Date: 2023 ## The fact On 23 February 2023 Prime Minister [Benjamin Netanyahu](/people/benjamin-netanyahu), Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and Finance Minister [Bezalel Smotrich](/people/bezalel-smotrich) signed an agreement giving Smotrich, as a minister in the Defence Ministry, authority over most Civil Administration and COGAT civilian functions in Area C of the occupied West Bank, including settlement construction approvals, enforcement and a Settlements Administration. Reuters recorded that he said settlement civilian legislation would be brought into line with Israeli law. The IDF retained outpost demolition in security and irregular events. Yoav Gallant remains unresolved. ## Context The coalition deal had promised the hat. He did not sit as every COGAT officer. 29 December 2022 oath is parent. 30 October 2023 freeze is a later child. Keep Netanyahu, Gallant and Smotrich split West Bank Civil Administration civilian powers on 2023-02-23 separate from neighbouring 29 December 2022 finance oath, 23 February 2023 dual-hat agreement, 30 October 2023 clearance freeze, and 10 June 2025 partner sanctions. The finance minister of Israel, also a minister in the Defence Ministry for West Bank civilian affairs, can freeze clearance transfers and direct Civil Administration planning. He does not sit as every settler, as COGAT’s uniformed head, as the IDF, or as a UK sanctions listing. Benjamin Netanyahu is the live prime minister; this run does not mint a cleaner twin. ## Evidence and sources Government of Israel carries the official instrument or communique. Reuters records the same dated act independently. ## Significance The path is annexation-adjacent governance: a completed dual hat over occupation civilian administration. ## What is established and what is not Established: The 23 February 2023 agreement gave him most Civil Administration civilian powers; Reuters recorded his alignment-with-Israeli-law language. What would change the picture: a contradictory original with a different date or name, a later repeal, a court that vacated the instrument, or a measured series that can be argued, with lag and alternatives, as a consequence of this instrument rather than of later institutions. The date is the date of this instrument, not a licence to back-date every later harm or benefit. Gallant signed. Smotrich took the civilian hat. The IDF kept irregular demolitions.. A later repeal, court stay, or successor order would be a different Fact with a different date. That pair identifies Netanyahu, Gallant and Smotrich split West Bank Civil Administration civilian powers, not a later speech about Netanyahu, Gallant and Smotrich split West Bank Civil Administration civilian powers. Co-authors and later implementers named in Context remain on the file. Netanyahu, Gallant and Smotrich split West Bank Civil Administration civilian powers on 2023-02-23 is not a licence to treat every later Government of Israel communique as this same act. If a later repeal, stay, or successor instrument exists, it needs its own date and its own row. This dossier refuses to average Netanyahu, Gallant and Smotrich split West Bank Civil Administration civilian powers into a personality. The contribution described on this Person row is limited to Netanyahu brokered. Gallant signed. Smotrich took the civilian hat. The IDF kept irregular demolitions. That limit is the alternative to treating office-holding as authorship of every later series. ## People - Bezalel Smotrich: https://factrail.ai/people/bezalel-smotrich ## Drivers - Civic Space: https://factrail.ai/drivers/civic-space - Smotrich finance and West Bank civilian-admin dual hat: https://factrail.ai/drivers/smotrich-west-bank-admin ## Sources - https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israeli-pro-settler-minister-formally-gains-west-bank-powers-2023-02-23/ - https://www.gov.il/en ## Methodology https://factrail.ai/methodology Canonical: https://factrail.ai/facts/il-smotrich-civil-admin-2023