Netanyahu Spurns American Proposal for Gaza, Pledges to Maintain Israeli Presence Until Hamas Relinquishes Arms

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday rejected a Gaza plan hailed by US President Donald Trump, vowing no military pullout until Hamas is “genuinely” disarmed.

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After more than a week of gradually escalating criticism of the plan, Netanyahu explicitly opposed it as he faced pushback from his right-wing base ahead of elections.

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“Israel rejects the 15-point document,” Netanyahu said, referring to a plan endorsed in late July by Hamas.

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The Israeli military “will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed and will continue to thwart threats against our forces and our citizens,” Netanyahu said at a cabinet meeting.

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The document, the latest stage in a US-led ceasefire announced in October that has reduced but not ended Israeli operations in Gaza, said Hamas would surrender weapons to a nascent Palestinian governing body.

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The plan said Israel would begin pulling out forces in tandem with the disarmament, an idea adamantly rejected by Israel, which also wants Hamas to destroy its weapons.

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After meeting Netanyahu last week, Trump’s body implementing the deal, dubbed the Board of Peace, backtracked and said Israel would only need to withdraw after “complete” disarmament.

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Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving leader, who according to polls is in a tight race to stay in power, has faced calls from his far-right allies to hold a new cabinet vote and end the Gaza plan.

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Netanyahu said that Israel was speaking with the United States about its objections.

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“They have ideas; some of them are acceptable to us, and some are not, and we know how to stand our ground on these matters,” he said.

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Netanyahu said that Hamas must give up all of its weapons, a goal that Board of Peace members say is not realistically achievable.

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“We are talking about real disarmament, not fictitious disarmament,” Netanyahu said.

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AFP

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