No Palestinian state as long as I am PM: Netanyahu rejects Gaza peace plan
Tel Aviv, August 9
Israel has rejected US President Donald Trump's 15-point Gaza peace plan and will not withdraw its forces from the enclave until Hamas is "genuinely" disarmed, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Sunday.
"Israel rejects the 15-point document," Netanyahu said, referring to a proposal endorsed in late July by Hamas, according to Israeli media.
Speaking at a cabinet meeting, Netanyahu emphasised that 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."
Facing pressure from far-right coalition partners urging a fresh cabinet vote to abandon the peace plan, Netanyahu, who is locked in a competitive electoral race according to opinion polls, noted that Israel remains in discussions with Washington on the issue.
"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 stated.
Trump's 15-point framework outlines a phased strategy aimed at terminating the Gaza conflict, disarming armed factions, withdrawing Israeli troops, and transitioning governance of the strip to a Palestinian technocratic body, the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza.
Under the roadmap, heavy weaponry, arms depots, military sites, and tunnels would be placed under the committee's control, while an international stabilisation force would be deployed to separate Israeli troops from Palestinian-administered areas.
Israeli forces would then withdraw in stages, paving the way for reconstruction and a longer-term political process towards Palestinian self-determination.
However, a core impasse remains: while Trump previously stated that both sides accepted the framework and that Hamas agreed to lay down its arms, Israel insists full demilitarisation of Hamas must precede any troop pullout, even as it continues military strikes despite the ceasefire established last October.
The widening rift over the peace plan has drawn a rare, unified reaction from eight Muslim-majority countries.
The United Arab Emirates joined Qatar, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt in issuing a joint declaration condemning ongoing Israeli military operations in Gaza.
The foreign ministers warned that continued military action risks undermining international peace efforts, cautioning that it could "derail the political process", provoke further regional escalation, and deepen the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
— ANI
Reader Comments
I live in the US and I'm ashamed that our president keeps pushing these "peace plans" that clearly favor Israel. Trump just wants a photo-op. Netanyahu is telling him clearly that he'll never allow a Palestinian state. So what was the point of all this?
The eight Muslim countries' joint statement is a good move, but where is India's voice? We have always supported the Palestinian cause. Our foreign policy should be more decisive. We can't just stay silent when innocent people are being killed in Gaza. This is a test of our moral leadership.
It's heartbreaking. The international community keeps making empty promises while Palestinian children keep dying. Netanyahu's statement is clear - he wants no two-state solution. Trump's plan was never realistic. I wonder what India can actually do to help, beyond just statements.
Honestly, I understand Israel's security concerns. Hamas is a terrorist organisation, and they shouldn't be rewarded with a state until they disarm. But at the same time, Israel's continued bombing of civilians is hard to justify. There needs to be a balanced approach. Just my two cents.
The comparison with our own security challenges is unavoidable. We deal with cross-border terrorism, but India has always maintained a principled stand on Palestine. This is a clear case of a powerful nation bullying a weaker one. The UN Security Council has become a joke if it can't enforce its own resolutions.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.