By Vaughn Cockayne (The Washington Times)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday rejected a Trump administration-backed plan aimed at disarming Hamas, the Palestinian militant group governing Gaza, casting further doubt on the deal’s success.
In remarks before his Cabinet, Mr. Netanyahu insisted that Israel does not accept the 15-point plan released last month by the Trump-established Board of Peace and that Israeli troops will not withdraw until Hamas is completely disarmed.
“When I say the disarming of Hamas, it means heavy weaponry, lighter weaponry, all weaponry. And we are talking about genuine disarmament, not fictitious disarmament,” he said, adding that Israeli officials are holding discussions with U.S. officials about certain provisions in the plan.
President Trump announced last month that Hamas and the Board of Peace had reached an agreement that could result in the Iran-backed militant group’s disarmament in exchange for Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza.
Under the plan, Hamas would disarm in phases while handing over authority to a new, Board of Peace-instituted governing body led by Palestinians.
Israeli officials, including Mr. Netanyahu, have remained relatively silent on the agreement since it was announced in July. Israel has previously rejected calls from humanitarian groups and international organizations to remove its forces from Gaza.
Mr. Netanyahu also in his comments Sunday underscored his opposition to the establishment of a Palestinian state.
“As for the Gaza Strip, first of all, I want to make the main point clear: as long as I am prime minister, there will be no Palestinian state, not in Gaza and not in Judea and Samaria. Neither ‘Fatahstan’ nor ‘Hamastan,’” he said, according to the Jerusalem Post.
Reuters reported Sunday that Hamas is still committed ot a deal. Senior Hamas official Basem Naim urged mediators and the U.S. to “press Mr. Netanyahu and his government to adhere to the roadmap.”
The Israeli military occupies more than 65% of Gaza, and its forces have been in the region since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, terror attacks kicked off a war that lasted nearly three years.
The Trump-backed Gaza peace plan, signed in October, provided for the phased withdrawal of Israeli forces and the disarming of Hamas while handing over security duties to an international force.
Mr. Netanyahu’s public rejection of the deal underscores his dire political situation, as he faces a tough re-election campaign this year. Many in Israel say that Mr. Netanyahu’s government failed to effectively defeat Hamas in Gaza and that efforts to overthrow the Iranian government and eliminate the threat of Hezbollah to the north have similarly failed.
This article was made available to WMAL via The Washington Times.
