Former Mossad Chief Warns: Settler Violence Paves the Way for a New, More Painful 'October 7'

The former head of the Mossad, Tamir Pardo, issued strong warnings reflecting the depth of division within the occupation's security establishment, likening the systematic attacks by settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank to the 'Holocaust'. Pardo indicated that the continuation of this unchecked approach necessarily leads to a widespread security explosion, which could surpass the repercussions of what happened last October 7.\n\nPardo, who led the intelligence agency between 2011 and 2016, affirmed that the absence of legal accountability for settlers sows the seeds of a future existential crisis. He considered that the official institutions' disregard for this violence paves the way for an upcoming confrontation that will be more painful and fragile, warning that the next explosion will have a more severe impact on the stability of the entire entity.\n\nThe former security official sharply criticized the law enforcement system, accusing it of complicity and turning a blind eye to crimes committed in Palestinian villages and towns. Pardo attributed this institutional paralysis to political restrictions imposed by far-right ministers, specifically Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, who provide political cover for expanding the scope of attacks.\n\nIn a related context, recent human rights reports revealed shocking figures that reinforce Pardo's concerns, documenting the forced displacement of more than 36,000 Palestinians from their lands between November 2024 and October 2025. These data show a dangerous escalation in the systematic expulsion policies practiced by settler groups under the protection of occupation forces in various areas of the occupied West Bank.\n\nField sources also recorded a significant increase in the pace of violence, with documented incidents reaching 1732 attacks in just one year, representing a 25% increase compared to previous years. The violence was not limited to property damage but extended to direct killings, leading to the martyrdom of at least 16 Palestinians by settler bullets since the beginning of this year.\n\nThese rare statements from a figure of the stature of the former Mossad chief reflect a growing concern within the traditional security elite about losing control over the situation on the ground. Observers believe that this discourse highlights the widening gap between the military and political levels regarding the utility of supporting settler militias, which have become a direct security threat.\n\nPardo concluded that silence on these practices is not only a moral failure but a strategic suicide that puts Israeli society in direct confrontation with the consequences of extremist policies. He stressed that the dysfunctional accountability mechanisms have given settlers a green light to escalate their attacks, making the next explosion a matter of time in the absence of any prospect for a solution or deterrence.\n\n"The state chose to ignore the violence, and what we see today may lead to a 'next October 7', but it will come in a different form and its impact will be more severe."\n