IDF officers tell Trump: 'Settler violence' claims ignore West Bank terrorism -exclusive

A group of retired Israeli military officers, the Israel's Defense and Security Forum (IDSF), sent a letter to US President Donald Trump refuting claims of widespread "settler violence" in the West Bank. This letter was a response to an earlier appeal from Commanders for Israel's Security (CIS), which warned Trump that Jewish extremist violence threatened Israeli security and US interests. IDSF Chairman Brig.-Gen. (res.) Erez Winner accused CIS of presenting a distorted picture, arguing that the term "settler violence" is a political campaign to collectively blame over half a million Israelis for the actions of a fringe. IDSF stated, "We condemn all violence and any violation of the law from any side, and demand firm police action in every individual case." The organization also claimed that international bodies and human rights groups inflate statistics by including non-violent activities and that many complaints are false. IDSF contended that focusing on settler violence distracts from Palestinian terrorism and Iranian influence in the West Bank.