Key facts
- Former Israeli officials have issued a 'final warning' to the government regarding settler 'terrorism' in the West Bank.
- The officials accuse the government of inaction and some ministers of providing support to settlers.
- They threaten to appeal to the Supreme Court if immediate action is not taken.
- The letter criticizes Prime Minister Netanyahu's characterization of the attackers.
- Signatories include former prime ministers, army chiefs of staff, and intelligence agency directors.
A significant group of former high-ranking Israeli officials, including ex-prime ministers and heads of military and intelligence agencies, have issued a strong warning to the current government regarding settler violence in the occupied West Bank. In a joint statement, they described the situation as 'settler terrorism' and stated that the government has failed to act against it, with some officials allegedly providing support to the perpetrators.
The letter, prepared by lawyer Shmuel Berkowitz, was sent to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defence Minister Israel Katz, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, and other senior officials. The signatories, which include former Prime Ministers Ehud Barak and Ehud Olmert, former Army Chiefs of Staff Moshe Ya’alon and Dan Halutz, and former Mossad and Shin Bet chiefs, warned that they would appeal to the Supreme Court if immediate action is not taken.
The officials criticized Netanyahu's downplaying of the issue, particularly his characterization of the attackers as 'teenagers' or 'hilltop youth,' arguing that this description masks a systematic movement involving adults and minors. They asserted that the establishment of illegal settlement outposts near Palestinian villages is a primary driver of the violence, aimed at expelling Palestinians and advancing a 'land redemption' vision.
Several signatories who visited Palestinian villages affected by settler attacks expressed shame and shock at the scenes they witnessed. The letter notes that attacks by Jewish settlers have intensified significantly since the start of the war in Gaza, often occurring in the presence of military forces who do not intervene. International organizations like Amnesty International and the UN have also highlighted systematic ethnic cleansing campaigns in the area, leading to forced expulsions of Palestinian communities.