Former military leaders and intelligence professionals advocate for an end to the conflict in Gaza
In a letter signed by over 600 former Israeli security officials, including several former Mossad and Shin Bet directors, military officers, police, and diplomats, there is a call for US President Donald Trump to pressure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to end the war in Gaza.
The Commanders for Israel's Security (CIS) movement, the largest Israeli group of former generals from the army, Mossad, Shin Bet, police, and equivalent diplomatic bodies, argues that continuing the military campaign is causing massive suffering and devastation in Gaza. They believe that the war, which began as a defensive war, has ceased to be a just war and is leading Israel to loss of security and identity.
The key arguments and proposals presented in the letter are as follows:
- End the War Immediately: The CIS movement urges President Trump to pressure Prime Minister Netanyahu to immediately end the war in Gaza. They argue that the large-scale war is no longer necessary as Hamas no longer poses a strategic threat to Israel.
- Prioritize Hostage Return: The former officials call for Israel to prioritize the return of hostages over continuing to chase senior Hamas operatives. They observe that "our hostages can’t wait,” differing from Netanyahu’s focus on eliminating Hamas leadership first.
- Form a Regional-International Coalition: The CIS movement also urges Trump to form a regional-international coalition to help the Palestinian Authority offer Gazans and all Palestinians an alternative to Hamas and its perverse ideology.
Yoram Cohen, a former Shin Bet chief, has raised concerns about the irrational direction the Israeli government is being led due to the influence of a minority of messianic zealots. Cohen identifies this group as the ones leading the Israeli government and controlling its politics.
The Israeli army (IDF) has achieved the first two objectives in Gaza, dismantling Hamas' military formations and government, but the third, bringing all the hostages home, can only be achieved through an agreement.
In a statement, former Mossad director, Tamir Pardo, comments that Israel is on the brink of defeat and that the disastrous humanitarian conditions in Gaza are a result of a lie that was sold to the Israeli public.
The signatories of the letter have over 1000 years of experience in national security and diplomacy. Among them are three former Mossad directors (Tamir Pardo, Efraim Halevy, Danny Yatom), five former Shin Bet heads (Nadav Argaman, Yoram Cohen, Ami Ayalon, Yaakov Peri, Carmi Gilon), and three former chiefs of staff (Ehud Barak, Moshe Bogie Yaalon, Dan Halutz).
In summary, the CIS letter combines a strategic assessment that diminishes Hamas's threat level, a humanitarian call to stop the war, and a practical appeal to foreign influence to bring about an end to the conflict in Gaza.
The CIS movement, comprised of over 1000 years of national security and diplomatic experience, appeals to President Trump to pressure Prime Minister Netanyahu, citing the war in Gaza as a cause of immense suffering and devastation. They argue that continued military action is counterproductive, as the prioritization of hostage return and the formation of a regional-international coalition would better address the situation. Tamir Pardo, a former Mossad director, claims that Israel is teetering on the brink of defeat due to the disastrous humanitarian conditions in Gaza, which he attributes to a deceptive narrative sold to the Israeli public.
