Al Jazeera’s Nour Odeh, reporting from the occupied West Bank, said discussions around the 15-point plan, including Hamas’s disarmament and Israel’s potential withdrawal, “are extremely controversial for the [Netanyahu-led] right-wing government”.
“It seems that Netanyahu, so close to elections, has hit the reset button, saying that none of that will happen under his watch,” she said.
“This is extremely problematic for the Board of Peace and the mediators who have been working for months now to try to find a way to carry out the disarmament of Hamas and have Israel commit to a phased withdrawal from Gaza.”
Prepare for WW3
Israel had already signalled that it would reject the US-led plan. Soon after Trump announced it last month, Israel stepped up its bombing campaign in the Palestinian territory, with strikes killing 18 people last Sunday. Netanyahu’s office had previously indicated it would not back the plan, saying: “The version that has been made public does not reflect Israel’s positions.”
But Sunday’s rejection was far more forceful and direct, and appeared targeted at the Trump White House, as Trump and Netanyahu both face difficult upcoming elections. “Unlike all those who lecture us, we do what needs to be done for Israel’s security,” Netanyahu said, “and we can and know how to stand our ground, even against our best friends when necessary.”