WhatsappThree Palestinian Authority police officers are now in Israeli custody after an incident that should raise serious questions about who actually controls Area C of Judea and Samaria.
According to the IDF, the PA officers illegally established a roadblock near Beitunia on August 23, stopping an off-duty Israeli reservist who was traveling through the area.
The problem is that the checkpoint was reportedly inside Area C.
Under the Oslo framework, Area C remains under full Israeli security and civil control. PA security forces have no independent authority to establish roadblocks there, detain Israelis, or behave as though they exercise sovereignty over Israeli-controlled territory.
But according to Israeli authorities, that is exactly what happened.
The armed reservist was stopped, detained and allegedly assaulted by the PA officers. They then placed him inside their police vehicle and began driving toward Ramallah before eventually handing him over to Israeli forces.
Israeli security officials described the incident as a serious overreach that endangered the Israeli civilian and involved the use of severe force.
This week, Israel responded.
Three PA police officers allegedly involved in the incident were apprehended and transferred for questioning by the Shin Bet.
That response matters because this is about more than one reservist or one illegal checkpoint.
Israel maintains security coordination with the Palestinian Authority because the political leadership has determined that doing so currently serves Israeli security interests. But coordination cannot become a substitute for sovereignty.
Area C is under Israeli control. That must mean something on the ground.
PA police cannot be permitted to establish facts, stop Israelis, or gradually expand their operational authority simply because Israel wants to preserve security coordination.
October 7 reinforced a lesson Israel should already have understood: dangerous precedents become dangerous realities when they are repeatedly tolerated.
Security coordination may continue.
Israeli sovereignty and freedom of movement cannot become negotiable.
