Netanyahu rejects US-backed Gaza plan, defying Trump

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected a 15-point plan for the future of the Gaza Strip, a proposal that had been brokered by the United States and accepted by Hamas. The decision came after significant pressure from Netanyahu's right-wing coalition partners.

“

Israel rejects the 15-point plan.

"Israel rejects the 15-point plan," Netanyahu declared during a government meeting, emphasizing his opposition twice. He further stated that the "IDF will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is fully disarmed." This stance directly challenges the initiative supported by US President Donald Trump, whom Netanyahu had previously called his greatest friend.

Netanyahu indicated that Israel would communicate its objections to the US, acknowledging that while some American ideas are acceptable, others are not. The plan's rejection occurs as Netanyahu faces declining poll numbers ahead of the October 27 elections, the first since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack that initiated the ongoing war in Gaza.

“

The IDF will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is disarmed. And 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.

The Gaza plan has proven unpopular among Netanyahu's right-wing base, with the most conservative members of his government urging him to dismiss it. This move signals a potential rift with the Trump administration, despite Netanyahu's efforts to maintain a working relationship.

“

They have ideas; some of them are acceptable to us and some are not, and we may stand our ground on these matters.