https://arab.news/ch9kb
- ‘Ashamed to be Jewish,’ Tamir Pardo says of settlers’ ethnic cleansing
- US opposes annexation but Tel Aviv ‘chosen to ignore’ displacement
DUBAI: Former Mossad chief Tamir Pardo has issued a stark warning about the situation in the occupied West Bank, condemning what he describes as escalating violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians.
Speaking on Monday during a visit to Palestinian villages alongside former officials including Matan Vilnai and Amram Mitzna, Pardo said the scenes he witnessed reminded him of past atrocities against Jews in Europe.
He called the situation an “existential threat” to Israel and said it left him feeling deeply “ashamed to be Jewish,” in statements carried by Channel 13.
Pardo has also accused Israeli authorities of being aware of settler violence but failing to act, saying the government has “chosen to ignore it.”
He also warned that confronting extremist settlers, some of whom he said are armed and politically backed, could risk internal conflict. He pointed to the influence of far-right figures including National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
Violence across the West Bank has intensified in recent months, with Palestinian communities reporting attacks, property destruction, and displacement.
The UN continues to consider Israeli settlements in the territory illegal and has repeatedly called for a halt to their expansion.
Meanwhile, Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar acknowledged that annexation of parts of the West Bank is not currently being pursued, citing opposition from US President Donald Trump.
However, Saar indicated that Israel remains opposed to the creation of a Palestinian state while continuing to expand its presence on the ground, an approach he says has further strained ties with the EU.