US Envoy in Israel Accused of Censoring Reports on Netanyahu Government
Translated & summarized from Behadrei Haredim by baba
David Millstein, a senior advisor to the U.S. Ambassador to Israel, allegedly blocked and rewrote diplomatic reports to positively portray the Israeli government, according to The New York Times. Millstein reportedly suppressed reports on settlement expansion, settler violence, and the deaths of Palestinian-Americans. He also altered a report on the Gaza aid crisis to present it as a success, ignoring casualties. Ambassador Huckabee defended Millstein, calling the report's claims factually baseless.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- David Millstein, advisor to the U.S. Ambassador to Israel, allegedly censored and rewrote diplomatic reports.
- Millstein reportedly blocked a memo concerning Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank.
- He downplayed reports of settler violence and altered a report on Palestinian-American deaths.
- A report on the Gaza aid crisis was rewritten to omit casualties and portray success.
- Ambassador Mike Huckabee defended Millstein, calling the allegations factually baseless.
David Millstein, a senior advisor to U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, systematically blocked and rewrote diplomatic reports sent from Washington to portray the Israeli government in a positive light, according to a comprehensive investigation by The New York Times. The report, based on interviews with 15 American officials and internal documents, details how Millstein acted as a gatekeeper since taking his post in April 2025.
In one instance, in March, Israel approved settlement expansions in the West Bank, which embassy staff feared violated President Trump's red line against annexation. An urgent memo drafted by embassy personnel to Washington was reportedly blocked by Millstein and never reached its destination.
Millstein also intervened in reports concerning settler violence, downplaying criticism of the Israeli government's inaction and instead issuing a cable praising Israel's "tough enforcement actions." When U.S. lawmakers sought answers about nine Palestinian-Americans killed by settlers and security forces, Millstein diluted a detailed embassy report, hindering Congress's efforts to obtain information.
Furthermore, Millstein demanded prior approval for all reports from the Palestinian Affairs Department, causing a sharp drop in reporting as staff feared their work would be blocked or altered. During the Gaza aid crisis in the summer of 2025, after Palestinians were killed near aid distribution sites, Millstein rewrote a warning report about the dangerous and chaotic distribution mechanism, presenting it as a resounding success and ignoring the casualties.
Sources in Washington, including the White House, expressed deep frustration with Millstein's methods. Veteran diplomats like former Ambassador Dan Kurtzer stated that such conduct harms decision-making processes and could undermine the President's policy. In response to the newspaper's inquiry, Ambassador Huckabee declined to comment on specific cases, issuing a statement that the "elements The New York Times is trying to connect are completely lacking in facts" and expressing "complete confidence" in his advisor. The State Department and Trump's office referred inquiries to the Ambassador's statement.
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