600 ex-Israeli officials: Stop ‘settler terrorism’ or risk US support

Nearly 600 retired Israeli security officials have signed a letter urging President-elect Donald Trump to pressure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to end what they call "settler terrorism" in the occupied West Bank. The letter warns that escalating attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians are threatening Israel’s own security and harming US interests in the region. The signatories include former generals, police chiefs, and intelligence officers. They argue that unchecked settler violence undermines Israel’s international standing and could weaken American military and diplomatic backing. The letter specifically calls on Trump to demand Netanyahu take immediate action to stop the attacks and hold perpetrators accountable. The appeal comes as violence in the West Bank has surged, with settlers often targeting Palestinian villages and farms. The former officials stress that failing to curb this chaos risks turning the territory into a permanent conflict zone, which would also destabilize US allies in the Middle East. No response from Netanyahu’s office has been reported yet.