Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly rejected the US-backed 15-point plan for Gaza, in an unusually open break with Donald Trump, with the main point of disagreement being the order in which Hamas’s disarmament and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza would take place.
The plan, promoted by the US-backed Board of Peace, calls for Hamas to disarm in exchange for a full, phased withdrawal of the IDF from the Gaza Strip and, at a later stage, the transfer of governing authority to an independent Palestinian committee.
Netanyahu, however, said Israel “does not accept the 15-point plan” and made clear that Israeli forces would not withdraw before Hamas had been fully and “genuinely” disarmed, including both heavy and light weapons. He added that consultations with Washington were continuing.
The move is reportedly aimed at strengthening his domestic political standing ahead of the October elections.
The statement marks a tougher position than Israel’s previous reservations about the plan. Netanyahu also stressed that Israel could “stand up even to its best friends” when it believes its security is at stake.
According to The Guardian, the public confrontation also has a domestic political dimension, as Netanyahu heads into elections in October under pressure from the hardline wing of his government. The dispute with Washington could strengthen his image as a defender of Israeli positions.
On the US side, Nickolay Mladenov, head of the Board of Peace, insisted that the plan remains “the only way forward.”
Source: Guardian
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