Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has presented a plan for post-war Gaza in which local Palestinian authorities with no ties to Hamas or its foreign backers administer the territory.
The proposal, which was quickly rejected by the Palestinian Authority, was brought to Netanyahu’s security cabinet late Thursday and would also see the Israeli army continue its war against Hamas until crucial targets are met.
The ideas, seen by AFP on Friday, include dissolving Hamas and Islamic Jihad and guaranteeing the release of all captives still held captive in Gaza.
After the war, Gaza’s civil affairs would be managed by “local officials with administrative experience” who are “not linked to countries or entities that support terrorism”.
According to the proposal, the Israeli army would have “indefinite freedom” to operate across Gaza in order to avoid a revival of terrorist activity.
“The plan states that Israel will move forward with its already-in-motion project to establish a security buffer zone on the Palestinian side of the strip’s border,” it stated. It added that the buffer zone would continue “as long as there is a security need for it” .
It also envisions Israeli security control “over the entire area west of Jordan” from the land, sea, and air “to prevent the strengthening of terrorist elements in the (occupied West Bank) and Gaza Strip and to thwart threats from them towards Israel”.
The proposal calls for Gaza to be completely demilitarized, beyond what is necessary for maintaining public order.
Its goal is to encourage “de-radicalisation in all religious, educational and welfare institutions in Gaza” .
The plan included the elimination of UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees.
Abbas office slams plan
Israel claims that some UNRWA personnel participated in the October 7 attack on Israel, which killed around 1,160 people, the majority of whom were civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli data.
The United Nations fired the personnel charged by Israel and launched an internal investigation of the agency. Since the Israeli charges surfaced, several countries have suspended financing for the agency.
The plan also includes parts for the Egypt-Gaza border, which has been plagued by smuggling.
It stated that a “southern closure” on the border will be implemented to prevent the resurgence of any terror or smuggling activity.
Some components of Netanyahu’s strategy contradict Washington’s vision for post-war Gaza.
The United States has supported Netanyahu’s desire to eliminate Hamas, which rules Gaza, but has also urged for the Palestinian Authority, led by Mahmud Abbas in the occupied West Bank, to eventually take over control of Gaza.On Friday, Abbas’s spokesman slammed the plan.
“Gaza will only be part of the independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital,” Nabil Abu Rudeineh said, according to Palestinian official news agency Wafa.
“Any plans to the contrary are destined to fail. Israel will not succeed in attempts to alter the geographic and demographic reality in the Gaza Strip,” he said.
“If the world wants security and stability in the region, it must end the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories and recognise the independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital,” Abu Rudeineh said.
Netanyahu has consistently condemned the Palestinian Authority, and Israel’s parliament supported his latest plan, which opposes any unilateral establishment of a Palestinian state.