Nearly 600 retired Israeli security, intelligence and diplomatic officials have urged President Trump to press Prime Minister Netanyahu to curb rising settler violence in the occupied West Bank. The letter, authored by Commanders for Israel's Security (CIS), warns that unchecked attacks by settlers could spark wider regional instability and harm Israeli and US security. The appeal followed deadly clashes in Tal and was timed ahead of Netanyahu's Washington meeting with Trump.
Nearly 600 Ex-Israeli Officials Urge Trump To Press Netanyahu Over Rising West Bank Settler Violence
Israeli ex-generals urge Trump to push Netanyahu on ‘settler terror’
Hundreds of retired Israeli military, intelligence and diplomatic officials have appealed directly to US President Donald Trump to press Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to rein in what they describe as rising "settler terror" in the occupied West Bank.
The appeal, published as a public letter on Tuesday, was drafted by the lobby group Commanders for Israel's Security (CIS), which says it represents more than 550 retired Israeli army colonels and generals and former senior officials from Mossad, Shin Bet, the police and the foreign service.
CIS warned that if the recent surge in attacks by settlers is not "arrested swiftly and decisively," it risks igniting wider regional violence with serious consequences for Israeli and US security. The letter directly appealed to Mr. Trump:
"It is our professional judgment that no one but you, Mr. President, can avert this calamity."
The group said it was "no secret" that some members of the Israeli government have helped foster the chaos by shielding settlers and, at times, placing security forces beyond legal scrutiny. CIS cautioned that the current swell in settler violence could have consequences that rival the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack and its fallout.
Context And Timing
The appeal came ahead of Mr. Netanyahu's meeting with President Trump in Washington, D.C., where CIS urged the US president to raise the issue. Netanyahu's visit marked his seventh trip to the White House during Trump's second term.
The letter followed a weekend of widespread settler attacks across the occupied West Bank after a deadly shootout in the town of Tal that left two Israelis and four Palestinians dead. Observers, including reporters and some figures within Israel's defence establishment, have warned that armed settlers acting independently risk putting soldiers and civilians on both sides in harm's way.
Why It Matters
The signatories are former senior security and diplomatic personnel whose experience lends weight to the warning. They argue that unchecked settler violence not only undermines the rule of law in the West Bank but also threatens broader regional stability and US strategic interests in the Middle East. The appeal arrives at a moment when tensions between Iran and the United States are temporarily paused to allow diplomatic efforts to continue.
Who Is CIS? The group describes its mission as "securing Israel's future as the strong democratic home of the Jewish people" and aims to influence policy debates by leveraging the professional reputations of its members.
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