Trump warned by Israeli security chiefs over dangerous letter linking settlers to October 7th

Hundreds of senior Israeli security figures have written to Donald Trump with a warning that has alarmed observers across the political spectrum. While there is room for debate about specific passages in their controversial letter, one aspect cannot be overlooked: their explicit attempt to draw a connection—whether direct, implicit or prospective—between the actions of Israeli settlers in the West Bank and the Hamas attacks of 7 October.

The letter, signed by former Shin Bet chiefs, ex-military commanders and other security establishment veterans, appears designed to influence Trump’s approach to Israeli policy ahead of his administration. The signatories represent decades of experience in Israel’s intelligence and defence apparatus, lending significant weight to their concerns.

The most contentious element involves the letter’s suggestion that settler violence and expansion in Palestinian territories have contributed to destabilisation that ultimately led to the October 2023 attacks. This framing has proven highly divisive, with some viewing it as a necessary wake-up call about the consequences of occupation policies, whilst others see it as an unacceptable attempt to place blame for terrorism on Israeli civilians rather than on Hamas’s deliberate choice to massacre 1,200 people.

The timing of the letter—aimed at an incoming Trump administration known for strong pro-Israel rhetoric—underscores the security establishment’s concerns that unchecked settler expansion could undermine Israel’s long-term security interests, regardless of one’s position on the substantive political debate around the occupation.

Source: Ynet — Original article in Hebrew.