Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu watches as the U.S. Secretary of State makes a statement to the media inside Kirya, home to the Israeli Ministry of Defense, after a meeting in Tel Aviv, October 12, 2023. Blinken arrived after Hamas to show solidarity. There was an unexpected onslaught of attacks in Israel over the weekend, an AFP correspondent traveling with the group reported. He is expected to visit Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as Washington draws closer ties with the ally, which has launched a devastating air campaign against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip.
Jacqueline Martin | Getty Images
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has unveiled his first official plan for the post-war future of the Gaza Strip, calling for Israel’s continued military presence in the enclave and the maintenance of a security buffer zone. This is a step contrary to the wishes of close allies. Washington.
In a scant document released overnight and translated by NBC News, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for the demilitarization of Hamas and the eradication of its rule, as well as for Israeli hostages held by Palestinian militants since the Oct. 7 terrorist attack. He outlined his previously stated immediate goal of rescuing the .
In the medium term, Israel wants to “maintain operational freedom of action throughout the Gaza Strip without time limits” as well as maintain a security buffer within the besieged area.
“The security perimeter established in the Gaza Strip on the border with Israel will remain in place as long as there is a security need,” the document states.
The United States, a strong supporter of Israel’s right to self-defense and a supplier of weapons during the conflict, has previously refuted the possibility of both reoccupying the Gaza Strip and reducing its size.
“Gaza must not be reduced in size. That is our position and will continue to be our position. Therefore, if the proposed buffer zone is inside Gaza, it is in line with that principle. That would be a violation of the law, and that would be something we would have to resolve.” … We object,” said Matt Miller, a U.S. State Department spokesman. he said in December.
Israel also demands the establishment of a “southern lock” on the Gaza enclave’s border with Egypt (the only land not controlled by Israel) to avoid rearmament of “terrorist factors” among the Palestinians. However, the Gaza Strip will be completely demilitarized “by exception.” What is necessary to maintain public order? ”
Prime Minister Netanyahu’s proposal makes no mention of the Palestinian Authority, which was ousted after Hamas took over in 2007, and calls for the Gaza Strip to be administered by local residents “not recognized as states or organizations that sponsor terrorism.” and calls for Israel’s involvement. Civil issues such as education and religion in areas where Sunni Muslims are the majority. Any reconstruction efforts can begin indefinitely after these “de-radicalization” and demilitarization goals are achieved, the document states.
Prime Minister Netanyahu has also called for the closure of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency after accusing some of it of involvement in the October 7 terrorist attack. The United Nations is investigating allegations against the agency, which has facilitated the distribution of food and resources. They are in the Gaza Strip, and their school doubles as a refugee shelter. UNRWA faces the possibility of shutting down operations by early March after several donor countries suspended funding following the accusations, an agency spokesperson previously told CNBC.
The document has few details, and it is unclear whether it was submitted for a vote on Prime Minister Netanyahu’s war cabinet. This proposal appeals to the prime minister’s domestic far-right supporters, but it also confirms the conflict between him and the government. Although Prime Minister Netanyahu has said in the past that he has no plans to reoccupy the Gaza Strip or forcibly return Palestinian civilians or reoccupy the Gaza Strip, some of his far-right members, particularly Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, They are demanding the expulsion of these residents. , According to Reuters.
The document also risks deepening a rift with the United States, which has supported Israel even as it faces scrutiny from the International Court of Justice over charges of genocide committed by South Africa.
The White House has long sought a response to the Israeli-Hamas conflict, which has claimed 1,200 lives in Israel and more than 29,000 in the Gaza Strip since October 7, according to Israeli officials and Hamas figures reported by Reuters. We have envisioned a national solution. -Operates the Gaza Ministry of Health. The outcome would likely be the creation of an independent Israeli-Palestinian state led by the Palestinian Authority, guaranteeing Israel’s security. The U.S. government has also doggedly pursued normalization of relations between Israel and countries in the Middle East, pushing for rapprochement with regional ally and powerful Saudi Arabia earlier this year.
The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment.
