Jerusalem, Aug 9 (V7N) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected a US-backed Gaza plan hailed by President Donald Trump, vowing that Israel will not withdraw its military until Hamas is "genuinely" disarmed.
"Israel rejects the 15-point document," Netanyahu said at a cabinet meeting, referring to a plan endorsed in late July by Hamas. "The Israeli military will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed and will continue to thwart threats against our forces and our citizens."
The document, the latest stage in a US-led ceasefire announced in October, stated that Hamas would surrender weapons to a nascent Palestinian governing body, with Israel beginning a phased troop withdrawal in tandem with disarmament. However, after meeting Netanyahu last week, Trump's Board of Peace backtracked, saying Israel would only need to withdraw after "complete" disarmament.
Netanyahu, facing a tight re-election race and pushback from his far-right allies, said Israel is discussing its objections with the United States. "They have ideas; some of them are acceptable to us and some are not, and we know how to stand our ground on these matters," he said.
He insisted that Hamas must give up all of its weapons—a goal Board of Peace members have described as unrealistic. "We are talking about real disarmament, not fictitious disarmament," Netanyahu said.
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