A compelling open letter signed by approximately 550 to 600 former Israeli security and intelligence officials including ex heads of Mossad, Shin Bet, and senior military commanders has made an extraordinary appeal to former U.S. President Donald Trump, urging him to leverage his influence to pressure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu into ending the nearly 23 month long war in Gaza (RTE).
Key Arguments from the Letter
- Hamas no longer poses a strategic threat: The retired officials assert that Israel has already achieved its two military objectives dismantling Hamas’s armed capacity and governance and therefore the war has passed its justifiable phase (RTE).
- Transition from justified conflict to ongoing crisis: Ami Ayalon, former Shin Bet chief, stressed that “once we achieved all military objectives it ceased to be a just war,” warning that protracted conflict is undermining Israel’s security, identity, and moral standing (RTE).
- Hostage release requires diplomacy: The letter emphasizes that the remaining Israeli hostages in Gaza can only be freed through a diplomatic deal not through continued military operations and that chasing senior militants could be postponed until after such a deal (RTE).
- Unique leverage of Trump: The signatories express the belief that Trump retains credibility among many Israelis and, unlike current U.S. leadership, could effectively influence Netanyahu’s decisions (RTE).
- Regional solution for Gaza governance: Post ceasefire, they propose that Trump help orchestrate a regional coalition to install a reformed Palestinian Authority as Gaza’s governing body marking a shift away from Hamas rule (RTE).
Notable Signatories
The group is unusually diverse in its composition:
- Three former Mossad chiefs: Tamir Pardo, Efraim Halevy, and Danny Yatom.
- Five former Shin Bet heads: including Ami Ayalon, Nadav Argaman, Yoram Cohen, Yaakov Peri, and Carmi Gilon.
- Former military chiefs and defense leaders: Ehud Barak (former PM and military chief), Moshe Yaalon (former defense minister), Dan Halutz, and others (RTE).
Broader Context & Reactions
- Humanitarian catastrophe: Independent estimates indicate over 60,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 7, 2023, including children and women, while humanitarian access remains severely limited amid starvation and displacement (washingtonpost.com).
- International pressure intensifies: Global calls including from the UN, EU, and numerous advocacy groups are mounting for a ceasefire. Some Israeli ministers, however, continue to push for more military escalation or even occupation of Gaza’s remaining territories (Financial Times, theguardian.com, RTE).
- Trump’s response: Trump publicly stated he does not view the war as genocide, insisted the U.S. is leading humanitarian aid efforts, and reaffirmed his interest in providing food to Gazan civilians though critics question how forcefully he will act on the former officials’ request (Moneycontrol).
- Ceasefire talks ongoing: Separately, a proposed U.S. brokered “all or nothing” deal including hostage exchanges and a temporary truce has seen movement, with Netanyahu traveling to Washington to discuss with Trump, Qatar, and Egypt (Financial Times).
Implications & Outlook
- Unprecedented Israeli dissent: The letter represents an unusually vocal and collective break between former senior security officials and current government policy.
- Focus on hostage diplomacy: The demand for diplomatic hostage resolution suggests Israeli military action may be counterproductive at this stage.
- A potential pivot through Trump: Signatories are betting on Trump’s ability to influence internal Israeli politics and foster a ceasefire though it remains unclear whether he will intensify pressure on Netanyahu, despite previous alignment.
- Humanitarian urgency: With Gaza facing starvation, displacement, and collapsing services, the call reinforces the need for immediate international engagement and mediation.
The appeal marks a significant moment: Israeli security elites within Israel, often aligned with hawkish positions, are warning that the war, now prolonged, threatens national security rather than securing it. They are explicitly asking the single most internationally visible Israeli aligned figure Trump to intervene as a catalyst for ending the conflict and achieving a hostage deal.
While it remains to be seen whether Trump will step up, whether Netanyahu will yield, and whether Hamas will engage diplomatically, the open letter crystallizes mounting internal and external pressure for a transformational turn in Gaza.
