US Envoy Accused of Suppressing Negative Reports on Israeli Government

David Millstein, a senior advisor to U.S. Ambassador, has allegedly blocked the transmission of reports detailing Israeli actions to decision-makers in Washington, aiming to present the Netanyahu government in a favorable light. According to three U.S. officials, Millstein prevented a report on the Israeli cabinet's approval of 34 new settlements in the West Bank from reaching its intended recipients. U.S. Embassy staff in Jerusalem drafted an urgent report for Washington after witnessing this move, which they believed could violate President Trump's red line against annexing the West Bank. However, due to Millstein's actions, the report was never sent.

Sources indicate this is not an isolated incident. Since assuming his role in April 2025, Millstein has allegedly obstructed embassy reports concerning the Israeli government's inaction against settler violence in the West Bank. Conversely, the embassy sent a cable, reviewed by The New York Times, commending Israel for its "tough stance" against such attacks. Millstein also reportedly blocked a detailed report compiled by embassy staff in response to congressional inquiries about the deaths of nine Palestinian Americans killed by settlers and Israeli forces, thus hindering lawmakers' efforts to obtain information.

Following his arrival in Jerusalem, Millstein began demanding personal approval for dispatches and reports from the embassy's Palestinian affairs unit. This led to a significant drop in weekly cables, with some staff avoiding writing reports for fear of Millstein blocking or rewriting them. While previous ambassadors also had senior advisors who influenced reporting, Millstein's actions are described as exceptional efforts to portray Israel positively. He has allegedly blocked reports, rewritten cables to convey opposite messages, and delayed approvals until topics lost their relevance.

In the summer of 2025, after dozens of Palestinians died while seeking food near distribution sites operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Fund (GHF), Millstein allegedly rewrote an embassy cable. The original cable warned that the GHF's distribution process was chaotic and deadly, potentially leading to more mass-casualty events. Millstein's revised version reportedly depicted the GHF's operations as a success, ignoring the high number of casualties, according to individuals familiar with the editing process. These discrepancies between news coverage and official embassy reports prompted senior White House and State Department officials to bypass established channels and communicate directly with embassy staff on at least two occasions.