Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu unveiled a plan for “the day after” in the Gaza Strip, his first formal proposal for the era after the end of the war in the Palestinian territory controlled by the Hamas.
According to the document, presented to members of Israel’s security cabinet on Thursday and seen by Reuters, Israel will maintain security control over all territory west of Jordan, including the occupied West Bank and Gaza – territories where the Palestinians want to create an independent state.
In the long-term goals of the plan, Netanyahu rejects “unilateral recognition” of a Palestinian state. It states that a settlement with the Palestinians will only be achieved through direct negotiations between the two parties – but does not say who will represent the Palestinian side.
For Gaza, Netanyahu cites demilitarization and deradicalization as goals to be achieved in the medium term. It does not expand on when this intermediate stage will begin or how long it will last. But it makes rebuilding the Gaza Strip, much of which has been reduced to rubble by the Israeli offensive, conditional on its complete demilitarization.
Netanyahu proposes that Israel maintain a presence on the Gaza-Egypt border in the southern part of the enclave and work with Egypt and the United States in that area to prevent smuggling attempts, including through the passage of Rafa.
To replace Hamas rule in Gaza while maintaining public order, Netanyahu suggests working with local proxies “that are not connected to, or financially supported by, terrorist countries or organizations.”
He calls for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees UNRWA to be closed and replaced by other international aid organizations.
“The prime minister’s principle paper reflects broad public consensus on the aims of the war and the replacement of Hamas rule in Gaza by a political alternative,” a statement issued by the prime minister’s office said.
The document was distributed to members of the security cabinet to start a discussion on the matter.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s spokesman, Nabil Abu Rudeina, told Reuters that Netanyahu’s proposal was doomed to fail, as were all Israeli plans to change the geographic and demographic reality in Gaza.
“If the world is truly interested in security and stability in the region, it must end the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories and recognize an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital,” he said.
The head of the Mossad is in Paris for talks
Israeli delegation under its head Mossad is flying to Paris today hoping for a “breakdown” in talks on a new truce deal with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, according to Israeli media.
The head of the Mossad (Israeli foreign security service) David Barnea and Shin Bet (Israeli internal security service) Ronen Barr are flying to the French capital today, according to the same sources.
In late January, the Mossad chief met in Paris with his US and Egyptian counterparts and Qatar’s prime minister to discuss a new Gaza ceasefire deal.
An initial week-long ceasefire had allowed the release in late November of more than 100 hostages held by Hamas and 240 Palestinians imprisoned in Israel.
A Hamas source said the plan discussed in late January in Paris called for a six-week ceasefire and the release of 200 to 300 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the release of 35 to 40 hostages held by Hamas.
Since then, talks have also taken place in Egypt, where the head of Hamas, Ismail Haniya, had also gone for a visit of “several days”, which ended yesterday, Thursday evening, according to the Palestinian Islamist movement.
According to Hamas, the talks were about it situation in Gazathe “end of the offensive” by Israel, the “return of the displaced to their homes” and a “prisoner exchange”.
Hamas has for weeks been calling for a “complete ceasefire” and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, demands deemed “outrageous” by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose government favors a ceasefire but says it wants to continue its military operation aimed at “eliminating” Hamas.
Netanyahu also opposes the release of Palestinian prisoners involved in attacks on Israelis, which Hamas is demanding.
The war in Gaza erupted after Hamas’s unprecedented Oct. 7 attack on Israel killed more than 1,160 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP count based on official Israeli figures, while its fighters kidnapped 253. people they are holding hostage in Gaza.
In retaliation, Israel vowed to destroy Hamas, which seized power in Gaza in 2007, and launched an offensive that has killed more than 29,000 people in the Palestinian enclave, most of them civilians, according to its health ministry. Hamas.
Source: RES-MPE
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