Commander of Central Command's Letter

At this time, when the State of Israel is engaged in an intense and broad campaign as part of Operation “Rising Lion,” IDF soldiers, its commanders, and all the security branches are operating day and night in order to strike our enemy in Iran, to harm the “axis of evil” that seeks our destruction, and to ensure the security of all the citizens of Israel.

Those of us serving in Central Command have a clear responsibility: to protect the citizens of the state and the home front, to prevent harm and escalation in the sector, and to enable the State of Israel and the IDF to focus the principal effort against the central threats - Iran and Hezbollah.

To this end, we mobilized thousands of reservists who carried out numerous offensive counterterrorism operations, alongside hundreds of regional defense personnel, in order to protect the communities.

Thanks to determined and precise action by our forces, together with the security agencies and under the leadership of brigade and division commanders, significant operational achievements have been attained, including a dramatic reduction in the scope of terrorist attacks in the sector, activity that continues at all times. Alongside these considerable achievements against Palestinian terrorism and other hostile actors, a dangerous, grave, and unacceptable phenomenon is emerging.

A violent group of lawbreakers is operating in the territories of Judea and Samaria without restraint, in violation of the laws of the State, the values of the Jewish people, and the principles upon which Zionism is founded. These individuals harm a Palestinian population that is not involved in terrorism, a population which, under both law and moral obligation, we as a state, and I personally as the representative of the sovereign authority responsible for law and order in the area, are duty-bound to protect. These rioters stand in complete contrast to the broader public in Judea and Samaria, which is characterized by law-abiding, principled, and state-oriented conduct, and which contributes significantly to the State of Israel.

This group carries out violent acts within villages and against Palestinian population, deliberately creating friction that at times results in casualties. When security forces are required to act in order to maintain public order and enforce the law, this same group does not hesitate to direct its violence toward IDF soldiers, police officers, and commanders.

This situation cannot continue, all the more so at a time when the establishment of communities in Judea and Samaria is undergoing a period of significant expansion, following the establishment of farms and the authorization of dozens of new communities by the government, and particularly when national attention is rightly focused on a necessary war beyond the state’s borders.

It is important to emphasize: beyond the fact that these actions are unlawful and immoral, they pose a genuine threat to the security stability of the region.

The continuation of this trend may lead to broad escalation across the entire arena, directly impair the IDF’s ability to achieve its objectives, and divert vital forces and resources from the State of Israel’s central effort in the strategic campaign. Instead of preserving this arena as secondary, we may find ourselves at the center of a dangerous security escalation that could persist long after the war in Iran and Lebanon has concluded.

Regrettably, this phenomenon does not exist in a vacuum; it is also sustained by public support. Here, responsible public leadership is required. Leadership that fulfills its role and makes its voice clearly heard.
I call upon you, public leaders, rabbis, educators, parents, and youth — to open your eyes. Do not lend a hand. Do not remain silent. Do not be drawn in. Do not be swayed by rhetoric that purports to speak in the name of ideology.

We must prevent the spread of incitement on social media and within various groups where partial information and deliberate misinformation are disseminated, presenting a distorted reality. All of this, regrettably, leads normative, law-abiding, and state-minded citizens to support unlawful actions, and to the normalization of deliberate friction that often results in harm to civilians.

The security of the citizens of Judea and Samaria, the Jordan Valley, and the home front, in the face of Palestinian terrorism and other security threats, rests on my shoulders. Together with commanders, soldiers, and all relevant security bodies, we operate day by day, hour by hour, through diverse means to ensure that the public in Israel can live in security. However, the security of the State of Israel and its moral resilience, also depend on you.

The IDF, together with the Israel Police and the ISA, will continue to act decisively against Palestinian terrorism, and, together with public leadership, we will work to eradicate this phenomenon, to prevail, and to remain human.

With respect,


Avi Bluth, Major General

Commander, Central Command