Herzog warns Netanyahu: One step from disaster in Judea-Samaria

President Yitzchak Herzog has sent a sharp warning to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yisrael Katz about a dangerous escalation following what he termed a "nationalist crime wave" in Judea and Samaria. In a letter sent last month and distributed in recent days to additional senior officials, Herzog warned that the state faces a real danger.

"I feel a deep and urgent duty to write to you from the bottom of my heart, to warn you about the situation to which I have been exposed, because we are one step from disaster," the president wrote, following a visit to the Judea and Samaria Division and conversations with IDF commanders, police, Border Police and Shin Bet officials.

Herzog described a wave of arson attacks, uprooting of trees, stone-throwing and assaults, and warned of a shortage of forces and operational tools. According to him, this is organized criminal activity and not isolated incidents: "The impression is that these are crime organizations in every respect, and that is how we must treat them."

Settlers who laid siege to a Palestinian village (Photo: Social media)

Moment of attack on journalist in Judea and Samaria (Photo: Social media)

Call for emergency plan

The president also warned of a dangerous confrontation between Israeli citizens and security forces, which could end in casualties and lead to wider escalation. According to him, soldiers and police are forced to deal with a complex reality without an adequate response.

At the end of the letter, Herzog called for formulating an emergency plan that would include reinforcement of forces, extensive investigations, dismantling of violent groups and implementation of enforcement measures, including administrative detention that was cancelled by the defense minister. He demanded the establishment of an inter-ministerial team to coordinate handling of the phenomenon.

"The responsibility placed upon us is a national and state responsibility of the first order," Herzog concluded. "We must not delay them for reasons that are not relevant, and better one hour earlier."