Former Israeli Leaders Threaten Legal Action Over Alleged Support for Jewish Terrorism in the West Bank

A leaked letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the defence and national-security ministries, the IDF, police and Shin Bet demands immediate measures to eradicate “Jewish terrorism” in Judea and Samaria. The authors link the violence to an “ideology of ethnic cleansing” pursued by the coalition.

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Lawyer Shmuel Berkowitz drafted the letter, signed by more than thirty former security commanders—including two ex-IDF chiefs of staff and former heads of Mossad, Shin Bet and police—along with former prime ministers Ehud Olmert and Ehud Barak, four former defence and justice ministers, a former attorney general, former judges, Nobel laureate David Kornberg, novelist David Grossman and ten Israel-Prize winners. The letter directly addresses Prime Minister Netanyahu and questions ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel Katz, chief of staff Eyal Zamir, Shin Bet head David Zini and police commissioner Daniel Levy.

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UN data cited in the letter record at least 1,100 Palestinian civilian deaths in the West Bank since 2020, including about 275 children. The authors say the perpetrators number “a few hundred” known to security services, yet no charges have been filed.

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Prime Minister Netanyahu described settler violence as the work of “a few dozen teenagers,” a claim the letter calls “without basis in reality.” The prime minister’s office, defence and national-security ministries, police and the IDF declined to comment.

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The signatories accuse the government of enabling terrorism by ordering the military, police and Shin Bet to facilitate attacks that advance an annexation agenda. They argue recent condemnations lack credibility without concrete action and that the policy “ignores the crimes of Jewish terrorism” while settlement security squads take part. They also warn that the policy fuels international isolation and increases antisemitism worldwide.

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The letter’s estimate that “a few hundred” perpetrators are known to security services lacks independent verification. The claim that no one has been charged for the 1,100 deaths has no reference to official judicial records, leaving the exact scale of impunity unclear.

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• “This is not solely a military and police failure,” — Letter

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• “The IDF has clear policy of ignoring the crimes of Jewish terrorism,” — Letter

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• “How come you have not been successful in eradicating Jewish terror?” — Letter, addressed to Gen Avi Bluth

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• “The crimes of Jewish terrorism in the territories are reminiscent of similar crimes and pogroms committed against our people by other nations in eastern Europe in the 19th and 20th centuries.” — Letter

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The signatories say they will file a petition with Israel’s high court to force government action. The letter appears weeks before national elections scheduled for October, potentially influencing voter debate.

The Guardian