Israeli security chief condemns ‘terrorism’ of militant settlers

Ronen Bar said the extremists had gone ‘from evading the security forces to attacking the security forces’. Photograph: Gil Cohen-Magen/AP

The head of Israel’s security agency, Shin Bet, has warned the country’s leaders that Jewish terrorism in the West Bank is out of control and has become a serious threat to national security.

Ronen Bar issued the warning in a letter to the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, the attorney general and members of the Israeli cabinet, some of whom are outspoken backers of the extremist settlers responsible for the escalating violence.