Israeli analyst Shaiel Ben-Ephraim (@academic_la) posted the below translation of the 2 Shin Bet sources below.
Ronen Bar, head of the Shin Bet sent the most dire letter I have seen, warning against the emerging threat of settler terrorism. He believes it is supported by many in the system and is going to grow into a movement that will threaten the well-being of Israel. Here are the most important portions of the letter, as reported by Guy Peleg of Channel 12:
"I am writing you this letter in pain. In deep fear. As a Jew, as an Israeli, and as a security official, I learned about the increasing phenomenon of Jewish terrorism by the hilltop youth. The hilltop youth phenomenon has long created a significant amount of terrorism towards Palestinians.
With the deterioration of the security situation, and the inability of the police to enforce the law, and perhaps hidden encouragement from them, the phenomenon is changing and becoming more significant. From the work of individuals, it is now taken up by hundreds. There is no longer a fear of executive detention due to the good conditions they receive there.
Along with the money they receive when freed and the praise they receive from members of Knesset, alongside the delegitimization of security services. It has moved from secretive and narrow activity to open and large-scale organization. Sometimes, it is due to the use of weapons provided by the state. From avoiding the security forces to attacking them. From disconnecting from the establishment to receiving support from parts of the establishment.
The answer is not the Shin Bet. The Shin Bet is a band-aid designed to deal with a small group of extremists. It cannot deal with the root of the problem. What is needed is a coalition of navigators, including ministers, government departments, rabbis, and regional leaders. Without that, it might makes right.
The leaders of this movement attempted to bring the system to a total loss of control. We are on the verge of a process that will change our reality. The damage to Israel and to most of the settlers is beyond description:
1. Global delegitimization even among our closest friends.
2. Significant IDF forces are needed, and they are already struggling to meet operational needs.
3. Revenge attacks that will launch another front in the already existing multi-front war.
4. The entry of new elements in the terror cycle that were out of it.
5. A slippery slope towards lawlessness.
6. Difficulty in creating regional alliances against the Shi'ite axis.
7. Above all, it is a stain on Judaism and all of us.
Continuing in this direction will lead to a great amount of bloodshed and change the face of Israel into something unrecognizable."
The bottom line is that too many elements in Israeli society support Jewish terrorism. Meanwhile, the outcomes it leads to could undermine the existence of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state. This is a crisis that must be addressed.
Source: https://www.mako.co.il/news-military/2024_q3/Article-a39974b3f5a7191026.htm and posted at https://x.com/academic_la/status/1826688451548532832.
Shaiel Ben-Ephraim continued at https://x.com/academic_la/status/1826765514733158454:
After the head of the Shin Bet wrote a letter warning that Ben-Gvir's support for settler terrorism was a danger to the state, the two sat in a cabinet meeting together. The fireworks that followed were to be expected.
Ben-Gvir attacked Bar and said he was responsible for October 7th and that he had "surrendered to Hamas" regarding the Temple Mount. He then demanded that Bar be fired. To his surprise, no one came to Ben-Gvir's defense. Netanyahu and the other ministers supported Bar, further enraging Ben-Gvir.
He yelled at Netanyahu, "I told you I will not be part of a racist government that does not allow Jews to enter the Temple Mount. Netanyahu said that, "the cabinet determines the policy and the status quo will remain." To which Ben-Gvir replied, "so fire me!" and stormed out.
That is a sign of serious deterioration of relations between Ben-Gvir and Netanyahu. The background is likely the ceasefire negotiations. But their partnership may not last long.