Israel Makes Settlements Administration Permanent Ahead of Election

Finance Minister and minister in the Defense Ministry Bezalel Smotrich announced that the Settlements Administration will become a permanent official body within the Defense Ministry. The move was coordinated with the Defense Ministry and Civil Service Commission and approved by the commission's Service Committee. Hillel Roth's term as the Civil Administration's deputy head will be extended from four to six years, keeping him in office beyond the October election. Smotrich said the structure will preserve civilian oversight of settlement planning, land allocation and enforcement in Judea and Samaria, though reporting noted that a future government could still reverse it.