In a pointed open letter to President-elect Donald Trump, Israel's prominent anti-settlement group Peace Now has accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of misleading the incoming U.S. administration on the scale and implications of West Bank settlement expansion. The organization, long critical of Israel's settlement policies, warned that Netanyahu's assurances of restraint are "a deception designed to buy time," urging Trump to demand transparency and accountability before committing further U.S. support.
The letter, released amid heightened tensions following Trump's electoral victory, highlights recent data from Peace Now's monitoring efforts, claiming over 12,000 new settlement units approved in the past year alone—figures the group says Netanyahu has downplayed in private talks with U.S. officials. "Netanyahu is deceiving you," the letter states bluntly, referencing satellite imagery and leaked government documents that allegedly show accelerated construction in sensitive areas near Palestinian population centers. This comes as Trump prepares to reassume office, with expectations of a robust pro-Israel agenda including potential recognition of additional settlements.
Context for the warning traces back to Netanyahu's long-standing alliance with Trump's first administration, during which the U.S. brokered the Abraham Accords and shifted policy away from traditional two-state solution frameworks. Peace Now argues that unchecked settlement growth undermines these gains, risking broader regional instability and alienating Arab partners wary of annexation moves. The group's executive director, Shaqued Morag, emphasized in an interview that "Trump's deal-making prowess deserves honest partners, not those hiding the true cost of occupation."
Reactions have been swift and polarized. Netanyahu's office dismissed the letter as "left-wing propaganda from radicals opposed to Israel's security," while U.S. Republican leaders close to Trump, such as Senator Lindsey Graham, called it "baseless fearmongering" unlikely to sway the president-elect's support for Israel. Palestinian Authority officials, meanwhile, welcomed the alert, viewing it as validation of their stalled negotiations. Analysts note this episode underscores deepening rifts within Israel's political landscape, where Netanyahu's coalition relies on pro-settler parties amid ongoing corruption trials.
Looking ahead, the exchange could test the resilience of the Trump-Netanyahu bromance, especially as the president-elect signals plans for a "maximum pressure" approach on Iran and Gaza reconstruction tied to normalization deals. Peace Now's intervention raises questions about whether Trump will press for verifiable settlement freezes—a move that could reshape U.S. Middle East strategy—or double down on unconditional backing, prioritizing domestic political optics over long-term diplomatic viability.
