‘No Palestinian state as long as I am PM’ | Netanyahu rejects Trump’s Gaza peace plan

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday rejected US President Donald Trump’s 15-point Gaza peace plan, declaring that Israel would not withdraw its forces from the territory until Hamas had been fully disarmed. Netanyahu also reiterated his opposition to the establishment of a Palestinian state, saying there would be no such state in either Gaza or the West Bank as long as he remained prime minister.

Israel rejects 15-point plan

“Israel rejects the 15-point document,” Netanyahu said during a cabinet meeting, referring to the plan proposed by Trump’s Board of Peace. He insisted that the Israeli military would not undertake any withdrawal from Gaza until Hamas was “genuinely” disarmed. The declaration followed more than a week of mounting Israeli criticism of the proposal. The plan had been presented as a framework for advancing the next stage of the Gaza peace process and had received Hamas’s endorsement in late July. Trump had described the development as a significant step towards ending the conflict.

Netanyahu rules out Palestinian state

Netanyahu went further by categorically rejecting the prospect of Palestinian statehood under his leadership. “As long as I am prime minister, there will be no Palestinian state in Gaza and no Palestinian state in Judea and Samaria,” Netanyahu said, using the biblical terminology commonly employed in Israel for the occupied West Bank. His position puts him at odds with elements of the international diplomatic effort that envisage Palestinian self-determination as part of a long-term settlement.

Hamas disarmament key sticking point

The central dispute concerns the sequence of Hamas’s disarmament and an Israeli military withdrawal. Israel is demanding complete disarmament before its forces pull back, while the US-backed proposal envisages a phased process involving disarmament and Israeli withdrawal. Netanyahu stressed that Israel would not compromise on what it considers essential security requirements, even when proposals come from its closest ally.

Pushback against Washington

The Israeli leader also signalled his willingness to oppose Washington where the two governments differ on security policy. “We know how to stand up to American ideas,” Netanyahu said, while maintaining that his government valued its relationship with Trump. The rejection represents a significant obstacle for Washington’s attempt to move the Gaza process forward after Trump publicly hailed progress on the plan.

Fresh uncertainty over Gaza peace process

Netanyahu’s announcement has injected fresh uncertainty into efforts to advance the Gaza peace process. Israel and Hamas have remained divided over disarmament, military withdrawal and Gaza’s longer-term political future. Despite the ceasefire agreed last year, Israeli strikes in Gaza have continued, while disagreements over implementing subsequent stages of the agreement have persisted. The latest disagreement now leaves Washington facing the challenge of reconciling Israel’s security demands with a roadmap that Hamas has said it remains committed to pursuing.