Trump pressed to raise settler terror with Netanyahu by Israeli ex-officials
Nearly 600 former Israeli officials warned Trump that West Bank settler violence could threaten Israeli, US and regional security.
By Daniel Okafor · Business Editor
3 min read
Nearly 600 former Israeli military, intelligence and diplomatic officials urged US President Donald Trump to press Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over what they called “settler terror” in the occupied West Bank, Al Jazeera reported. The appeal came ahead of Netanyahu’s scheduled Tuesday meeting with Trump in Washington, DC.
The letter was issued by Commanders for Israel’s Security, a group of retired Israeli security and diplomatic figures. According to Al Jazeera, the group told Trump he was uniquely positioned to help prevent worsening West Bank violence from turning into a wider regional crisis.
Why are Israeli ex-generals asking Trump to press Netanyahu?
Commanders for Israel’s Security said escalating violence in the West Bank threatens Israeli security, US regional interests and broader stability. In the group’s words, “no one but you, Mr. President, can avert this calamity,” according to Al Jazeera.
The group asked Trump to bring up the issue directly with Netanyahu during their White House meeting. Its letter argued that the rise in Jewish settler violence could produce consequences even more severe than the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel and the multi-front conflict that followed, Al Jazeera reported.
Commanders for Israel’s Security also accused some members of the Israeli government of helping drive the disorder. The group said certain officials protect settlers and Israeli forces from legal scrutiny, according to Al Jazeera’s account of the letter.
What is Commanders for Israel’s Security?
Commanders for Israel’s Security describes itself as a Zionist movement made up of more than 550 retired Israeli army colonels and generals, along with former officials of comparable rank from Mossad, Shin Bet, the Israeli Police, the foreign service and other bodies.
The group says its mission is to secure Israel’s future as a strong democratic home for the Jewish people. Its appeal to Trump reflects warnings from parts of Israel’s security establishment about the conduct of settlers in the occupied West Bank, Al Jazeera reported.
Al Jazeera’s Nour Odeh said the letter tracks with other concerns from Israeli defence figures that settlers are “taking on the initiative” and “calling the shots” for the Israeli army, while also putting Israeli soldiers at risk.
What happened in the West Bank before the letter?
The appeal followed a weekend of widespread settler violence across the occupied West Bank, Al Jazeera reported. The unrest came after a deadly shootout in the town of Tal in which two Israelis and four Palestinians were killed.
Netanyahu’s Washington visit is his seventh trip to the White House during Trump’s second term, according to Al Jazeera. The meeting also comes during a pause in the latest escalation of fighting between Iran and the United States to allow diplomatic efforts to proceed.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.