Israeli ex-generals urge Trump to push Netanyahu on ‘settler terror’

Introduction

More than 550 former Israeli military, intelligence, and diplomatic officials have signed a letter to US President Donald Trump, asking him to urge Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to take action against what they describe as "settler terror" in the occupied West Bank. The appeal, published on Tuesday, warns of severe consequences for Israel's security and for US regional interests if the violence continues.

The letter was written by Commanders for Israel's Security, a group representing hundreds of retired senior officials from the IDF, Mossad, Shin Bet, the Israel Police, and the diplomatic establishment. It was sent ahead of a scheduled meeting between Trump and Netanyahu in Washington, according to reporting by Al Jazeera and The Jerusalem Post.

Key Claims

• Letter signatories: 550 former Israeli officials signed the letter to Trump, according to both Al Jazeera and The Jerusalem Post. Al Jazeera described the signatories as "nearly 600" in one passage.
• Author of the letter: The letter was issued by Commanders for Israel's Security. It was signed on behalf of the group by Matan Vilnai, a retired IDF deputy chief of staff, a detail reported by the Jerusalem Post.
• Warnings: The letter warns that "unless arrested swiftly and decisively, escalating violence in the West Bank is poised to ignite the region and carry severe ramifications for both Israeli security and US regional interests," as quoted by the Jerusalem Post. Al Jazeera reports the letter uses language of a "settler terror" threat and warns of the potential to "ignite the region."
• Comparison to 2023 attack: Al Jazeera reported the letter warns the consequences of inaction could surpass the fallout of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel.
• Request for action: The letter called on Trump to raise the matter with Netanyahu during their meeting in Washington on Tuesday, per Al Jazeera.

Columnist backs the appeal

New York Times columnist Bret Stephens used his column to endorse the commanders' appeal. Stephens, described as one of the paper's most consistent defenders of Israel against perceived double standards, wrote that he felt compelled to speak out despite his reluctance to feed global criticism of Israel.

Stephens referred to "Jewish terrorists" in the West Bank, saying their actions "are a menace to Palestinian lives and property, an affront to Jewish ethics, a stain on Israel's reputation, and a direct threat to Israel's security and statehood, and thus to Zionism itself." He said that "the terrorism" posed a threat not only to Palestinians but also to Israel's own security.

The column drew heavily on the letter from Commanders for Israel's Security, which was sent on behalf of retired IDF deputy chief of staff Matan Vilnai. The letter noted that Israeli security services have been effective against Palestinian terror groups but "hamstrung" when it comes to curbing Jewish extremists, according to the Jerusalem Post's account of the column.

Counter-letter from rival group

A rival organization of former Israeli defense officials, the Israel Defense and Security Forum (IDSF), has rejected the allegations of widespread settler violence. The IDSF, which also sent a letter to Trump, accused Commanders for Israel's Security of presenting "a distorted picture" of events in the West Bank.

IDSF chairman Brig.-Gen. (res.) Erez Winner said the group condemns all violence and lawbreaking, and demands firm police action in every case. However, he argued that the phrase "settler violence" has become a political campaign designed to smear more than half a million Jewish residents of the West Bank, which the group refers to by the biblical names Judea and Samaria.

The IDSF accused international bodies and Israeli human-rights organizations of inflating statistics and promoting a "false narrative." The group said that many incidents are wrongly classified as violence and that the focus on settler attacks diverts attention from Palestinian terrorism.

Key claims

• The letter to Trump was signed by more than 550 former Israeli officials and organized by Commanders for Israel's Security (Al Jazeera).
• The letter warned that if "not arrested swiftly and decisively," escalating violence in the West Bank could "ignite the region" and carry "severe ramifications for Israeli security and US regional interests" (as paraphrased by the Jerusalem Post, citing Stephens's column).
• The letter stated that government members were "orchestrating" chaos and protecting settlers from scrutiny, as reported by Al Jazeera.
• One article published by the Jerusalem Post cited a figure of 867 incidents of settler violence in 2025. The Israel Defense and Security Forum disputed this figure, saying many such incidents are misclassified.

Counterpoint from another veterans' group

The Israel Defense and Security Forum (IDSF), which describes itself as a group of former security officials, has responded critically to the Commanders for Israel's Security letter. In a statement reported by the Jerusalem Post, the IDSF said the phrase "settler violence" amounts to a "political campaign" that unfairly brands all West Bank Jewish residents with the actions of a few.

The IDSF argued that many incidents reported as settler violence are mischaracterized aware incidents, and accused international bodies and Israeli human-rights groups of inflating statistics. The group said the focus on settler violence diverts attention from Palestinian terrorism.

Beni Cohen, chairman of the IDSF, wrote that the organization "supports firm police action against lawbreakers from any side" but rejected what it called "orchestrated propaganda" and "false narratives" about the scale of the problem.

Key claims

• More than 550 former Israeli security officials signed a letter to Trump warning of "severe ramifications" for Israeli and US regional security if settler violence is not curbed.
• The letter was published on Tuesday and coordinated with Trump's meeting with Netanyahu in Washington, according to Al Jazeera.
• The letter asserted that "unless arrested swiftly and decisively, escalating violence in the West Bank is poised to ignite the region," as quoted by the Jerusalem Post.
• Bret Stephens wrote in his column that the Israeli government "can and should" rein in the violence, citing the commanders' letter.
• The Israel Defense and Security Forum, a separate group of veterans, rejected the characterization of "settler violence" as a "political campaign."
• The Jerusalem Post reported that the number of incidents of settler violence in 2025 stood at 867, citing figures in Stephens's column.

Responses and rebuttals

The letter has drawn a sharp rebuttal from the Israel Defense and Security Forum (IDSF), a rival organization of retired officers that said it "represents thousands" of veterans.

IDSF chairman Erez Winner said the phrase "settler violence" itself is misleading. "The term 'settler violence' is a political campaign," he said, arguing that many incidents are not what they appear to be. The group claimed that so-called settler violence is often a mischaracterization of legal actions or self-defense, and that international bodies and other organizations are promoting a "false narrative" against Jewish residents of the West Bank, whom the group refers to as Judea and Samaria.

The IDSF said that a focus on settler violence diverts attention from Palestinian terrorism and accused human-rights organizations of orchestrating a "smear campaign" against West Bank Jews. The group said it condemns all violence and lawbreaking by either side, but contends that the term "settler violence" is used to delegitimize all West Bank residents.

Perspectives

Commanders for Israel's Security: The group of retired senior Israeli officers says escalating violence by Jewish extremists in the West Bank poses a direct threat to Israel's security, statehood, and regional stability alerting President Trump to raise the matter with Prime Minister Netanyahu.

Israel Defense and Security Forum: The veterans' group rejects the "settler violence" label, calling it a "political campaign" and a "smear" against West Bank Jews. It argues that international bodies and Israeli human-rights groups inflate and mischaracterize incidents, and that the focus diverts attention from Palestinian terrorism.

Bret Stephens: The New York Times columnist describes settler violence as terrorism and a direct threat to Israel's security and Zionism, arguing the government can and should act.