Former senior Israeli military and security officials have condemned escalating settler violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, with some describing the campaign as "ethnic cleansing," The New York Times reported Sunday.
"This is ethnic cleansing, to put it simply,” retired Brig. Gen. Ephraim Sneh, who is also a former Israeli health minister, said of attacks on Palestinians, according to the newspaper.
Maj. Gen. Eyal Ben-Reuven, a former commander of Israel’s ground forces who also commanded a division in the West Bank, said occupier violence posed a greater concern to him than other security fronts.
"This, what the settlers are doing here, is the real threat to Israel,” Ben-Reuven said. "This is more concerning to me than Iran, Gaza or Lebanon.”
The comments came as retired Israeli generals and former senior officials have been touring Palestinian communities in the West Bank to examine the impact of occupier violence, including attacks on farmers and shepherds and the destruction of property.
