Key Takeaways
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel did not agree to the US-backed Gaza plan.
- The Israeli government received assurances that its troops would only leave after Hamas disarms, but rejected the draft.
- Pressure from right-wing ministers has led to a new vote on the proposal.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that Israel did not agree to the US-backed plan for Gaza, despite receiving assurances that Israeli troops would only leave after Hamas disarms. The rejection came in a video posted to his social media accounts.
In the video, Netanyahu said, 'We are checking this. They sent us a draft – we did not agree to it, it is not our draft. We sent our comments.'
Netanyahu met with the US-backed Board of Peace on Monday and received guarantees that Israeli forces would only withdraw from their current positions in Gaza after Hamas disarms.
However, pressure has been growing within Netanyahu's ruling coalition, particularly from two far-right ministers who requested a new vote on the plan. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Settlement Minister Orit Strook made this request Tuesday.
The Israeli security cabinet, which includes these ministers, had already voted in favor of the proposal, which would see international peacekeeping troops deployed to Gaza among other things.
Tal Elovits from the Israeli think tank Molad said that the request for a new vote should be viewed as 'a campaign move' aimed at putting pressure on Netanyahu. He noted that Israel's right-wing has historically tried to avoid turning this conflict into an international one.
Netanyahu is not expected to tear up the US-sponsored plan, given Israel’s isolation in the international community. Elovits stated, 'Netanyahu has no other option besides listening to his only friend left in the diplomatic community.'
US pressure on Israel to curb attacks in Gaza ahead of a partial withdrawal under the plan appears to be yielding results. According to reports, troops have been instructed to seek authorisation from the Chief of Staff for strikes unless they are in immediate danger.
A spokesperson for Netanyahu declined to comment when questioned by AFP.
We are checking this. They sent us a draft – we did not agree to it, it is not our draft. We sent our comments.
Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister
The Israeli right-wing has always tried to postpone a scenario in which this conflict becomes an international conflict.
Tal Elovits, Researcher at Israeli think tank Molad
