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Ex-Mossad Chief: 1,732 Settler Attacks Mirror Holocaust

4/28/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Tamir Pardo, former Mossad director, said settler violence in the West Bank reminded him of the Holocaust, expressing shame.
He noted that attacks rose to 1,732 incidents—a 25% increase—after the Iran war began on February 28.
Pardo warned authorities ignore the attacks while far-right minister Bezalel Smotrich backs settlers, fearing unchecked violence could spark a new conflict like October 7 and draw criticism from pro-Israel groups.

History

Historical Context

The 1979 Egypt-Israel peace treaty, signed in Washington on 26 March 1979 by President Anwar Sadat and Prime Minister Menachem Begin and witnessed by U.S. President Jimmy Carter, ended a state of war and began U.S. aid of about $1.3 billion annually. Decades later, a 25 % rise to 1,732 West Bank attacks fuels fears that current settlement expansion could destabilize the fragile framework established by that treaty.

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Story summary

Tamir Pardo, former Mossad director, said settler violence in the West Bank reminded him of the Holocaust, expressing shame.
He noted that attacks rose to 1,732 incidents—a 25% increase—after the Iran war began on February 28.
Pardo warned authorities ignore the attacks while far-right minister Bezalel Smotrich backs settlers, fearing unchecked violence could spark a new conflict like October 7 and draw criticism from pro-Israel groups.

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