IDF Chief Warns Netanyahu of Losing Control in West Bank Due to Rising Jewish Nationalist Crime
On Monday morning, the IDF Chief of Staff received a call from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu requesting an urgent security briefing at the Central Command headquarters. The meeting, held within hours and attended by a full forum including Netanyahu and Minister Israel Katz, focused on the escalating security situation in the West Bank. The Chief of Staff, Herzi Halevi, personally warned Netanyahu that Jewish nationalist crime, described as "nationalist crime," is increasing and could cause the West Bank to spiral out of control. This warning came just eight days after Halevi had first raised concerns about the potential for unrest due to this phenomenon.
During the briefing, officials presented a comprehensive overview of the decline in Palestinian terrorism, attributing it to effective operations by the IDF and Shin Bet over the past three years. However, they highlighted a paradox: while far-right settlers have long claimed they act as a self-defense militia due to a lack of IDF presence, the IDF's recent operations against Palestinian threats and its protection of settler farms have coincided with a rise in Jewish extremist violence. Central Command Commander Tamir Yadai expressed fears that a single spark of nationalist crime could ignite widespread violence.
The Shin Bet has responded by increasing operational focus on Jewish extremist groups, while the IDF has quietly reduced the deployment of elite counter-terrorism soldiers (GEMAR) in the West Bank following numerous serious incidents. Currently, there are reportedly fewer than 800 such soldiers active, with the main concern shifting to rapid response teams within extremist settlements.
Netanyahu reportedly lost patience during the meeting, refusing to engage with the warnings and instead steering the discussion toward the possibility of a full-scale conflict with the Palestinians and the Palestinian Authority. He inquired about operational plans for such a scenario, which the Chief of Staff said exist and could be presented in a dedicated session. Following the meeting, Netanyahu’s team launched an intensive media campaign portraying the military leadership as unprepared and accusing them of focusing on Jewish crime rather than preparing for war. They also used communication channels linked to Qatar to promote a narrative of an impending large-scale war in the territories, including tank and air force involvement, while criticizing the IDF.
The military later recognized this as a trap, noting that proper security discussions cannot be conducted on such short notice, but Netanyahu was unwilling to entertain a more thorough briefing. The episode reflects deep tensions between the political leadership and the military amid a volatile security environment, with the risk of escalation posing serious consequences. The full analysis appeared in the weekend supplement of Yedioth Ahronoth and on Yedioth+.
