Israeli PM Proposes Plan For Post-war Gaza

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has proposed a plan for post-war Gaza that envisions local Palestinian officials without links to Hamas or its foreign backers governing the territory

Jerusalem, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Feb, 2024) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has proposed a plan for post-war Gaza that envisions local Palestinian officials without links to Hamas or its foreign backers governing the territory.

The proposal, swiftly rejected by the Palestinian Authority, was submitted to Netanyahu's security cabinet late Thursday and would also see the Israeli army persisting in its war on Hamas until it achieves key goals.

Those include dismantling Hamas, and securing the release of all hostages, according to the proposals, which were seen by AFP on Friday. After the war ends, Gaza's civil affairs would be run by "local officials with administrative experience".

A key element of the plan was the dismantling of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA.

Israel has alleged that several employees of UNRWA took part in the October 7 attack on Israel that resulted in the deaths of about 1,160 people, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.

The United Nations sacked the employees accused by Israel and has begun an internal probe of the agency. Since the Israeli allegations emerged several countries have suspended their funding to the agency.

Some elements of the Netanyahu plan conflict with Washington's vision for post-war Gaza.

The United States has backed Netanyahu's call to dismantle Hamas, which controls Gaza, but has called for the Palestinian Authority, led by Mahmud Abbas in the occupied West Bank, gradually to take over control in 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 long denounced the Palestinian Authority, and on Wednesday Israel's parliament also backed his another proposal opposing any unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state.

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