Over 30 former senior Israeli security officials call Netanyahu ‘threat to Israel’ in letter to US leaders ahead of Congress speech

Prime minister’s visit is also clouded by American political disagreements

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A group of over 30 former Israeli security officials, ambassadors, senior executives and academics wrote a letter to U.S. congressional leaders ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to the Congress on Wednesday, calling the prime minister “an existential threat” to Israel.

The letter accuses Netanyahu of being more concerned with his own political survival than shared Israeli-U.S. interests; for lacking a proper mandate due to the various state investigations against him; and for being responsible for the Gaza War due to his failed assessment of the risk Hamas posed, as well as prolonging the war, unwilling “to conceptualize a post-war plan.”

“We cannot overstate this: Prime Minister Netanyahu poses an existential threat to the State of Israel,” the letter underscored. “He has no clear strategic objectives for the war in Gaza, no plan for the day after, nor a strategy for how to deal with the existential threat of Iran.”

💥Former IDF Chiefs of Staff Dan Halutz & Moshe Ya'alon, former Mossad director Tamir Pardo write Congressional leadership: "Netanyahu poses an existential threat to the State of Israel.” pic.twitter.com/I7XrZ0ts9P
— Noga Tarnopolsky נגה טרנופולסקי نوغا ترنوبولسكي (@NTarnopolsky) July 23, 2024

The Israeli leaders, among them former Mossad Director Tamir Pardo, former IDF Chief of Staff Dan Halutz, and former Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon, also accused Netanyahu of endangering U.S. national security interests because of his conduct during the Gaza War.

“Further, Netanyahu severely harms the US national security interests through his approach to this war, which adversely impacts American policy in the Middle East and beyond and further endangers Israel.”

Alongside concerns over his conduct of the war, the Israeli leaders also claimed Netanyahu was turning Israelis against each other.

“For decades, he has been inciting Israelis against each other, damaging our national social fabric, dramatically harming our defense capabilities, eroding our economy and devastating our international standing,” the letter accused.

The Israeli leaders thanked the congressional leaders for their continued support of Israel, saying, “Our safety and security depend on it – as does yours.”

The letter was sent on Tuesday morning to House Speaker Mike Johnson, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday morning.

Netanyahu will address Congress for an unprecedented fourth time during the ongoing war and amid a series of legal challenges against him in Israel, including charges of bribery and fraud.

His speech is seen by many as a highly political affair, including among many U.S. politicians. Netanyahu was invited to speak to Congress by Johnson. While several Democrats, including Schumer, joined the invitation, a significant group of Democrats have threatened to boycott the speech.

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris will not preside over the bicameral address, which is typically a duty of her office, due to a prior campaign commitment.

Several Democrat representatives have declined to attend the speech, calling Netanyahu a war criminal over Israel’s conduct in the Gaza War.

Schumer, the highest-ranking Democrat senator, said he supported the invitation to Netanyahu because “America’s relationship with Israel is ironclad and transcends one person or prime minister.”