JERUSALEM – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday showed that President Donald Trump’s proposal to move the Palestinian population out of Gaza, “the only one that will enable another future.” “It’s a viable plan.”
Netanyahu discussed the plan with Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Marco Rubio began his visit to the Middle East by supporting the purpose of Israeli war in Gaza, saying Hamas “must be eradicated.” It created more doubt around a volatile ceasefire as speeches in the second phase had not yet begun.
What you need to know
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shows that President Donald Trump’s proposal to move Palestinians out of Gaza. Netanyahu called it “the only viable plan to enable another future.” American diplomats supported the purpose of Israeli war in Gaza, where they were kicking their visit to Rubio, the Middle East, saying Hamas “must be eradicated.” Heavyweight Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates
Rubio could face more rebellion from Arab leaders than Trump’s proposals that include redeveloping Gaza under US ownership at upcoming stops in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates It has sex. Netanyahu said all migration from Gaza should be “voluntary,” but rights groups and other critics say the plan amounts to coercion given the vast destruction of the territory.
Netanyahu said he and Trump have a “common strategy” for Gaza. Reflecting Trump, he said, “The gates of hell will be opened.” Hamas said it was accused of extremist groups of attacks on Southern Israel on October 7, 2023, causing a 16-month war.
The first phase of the ceasefire will end in two weeks. The negotiations were intended to begin in the second phase two weeks ago. Hamas intended to free the remaining dozens of hostages in exchange for more Palestinian prisoners, a permanent ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces.
“Phase 2 will definitely start,” Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special Middle East envoy, told Fox News. .
Netanyahu’s office said Israeli security ministers will meet on Monday to discuss the second phase.
Israel’s Ministry of Defense said it received a 2,000 pound MK-84 ammunition shipment from the US, another indication of its closing rank. The Biden administration suspended shipping of such bombs last year over concerns about civilian casualties in Gaza.
Hostages could be doomed when war resumes
This week marks the 500 days of war. Netanyahu shows that he is ready to resume combat after the current phase of the ceasefire, but could result in the remaining death sentence of the hostages.
Rubio said peace would be impossible as long as Hamas added “as a power that can govern or as a force that is threatened by the use of violence,” or “must be eradicated.”
Hamas reaffirmed control of Gaza when the ceasefire began last month despite the heavy losses.
Netanyahu surrendered to Hamas and provided the opportunity to send top leaders into exile. Hamas rejects the scenario and asserts control of Palestine. Spokesman Abdul Latif Al-Kanou told The Associated Press that the group would accept the Palestinian united government or the Technocrat Committee to run Gaza.
Netanyahu instructed negotiators to depart for Cairo on Monday to discuss further implementation of the first phase of the ceasefire, as issues with the delivery of shelter materials continue.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces said they had launched airstrikes on people approaching troops in southern Gaza. Hamaslan Home Ministry said it killed three police officers while securing entry to an aid truck near Rafa on the Egyptian border.
“If someone has a better plan… that’s great.”
In an interview last week, Rubio showed that Trump’s Gaza proposal aims to pressure Arab countries to develop their own postwar plans that are acceptable to Israel.
Rubio also appeared to suggest that the Arab countries would send troops to fight Hamas.
“If the Arab countries have better plans, that’s great,” Rubio said Thursday on “Clay and the Back Show.”
But “Hamas has a gun,” he added. “Someone has to stand up to those people. They will not become American soldiers. And if the countries in the region can’t understand the work, Israel will have to do that.”
Rubio was not planning to meet the Palestinians on his trip.
Arabs have limited options
For Arab leaders, promoting the massive expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza and fighting Palestinian extremists on behalf of Israel has led to domestic criticism and stably volatile regions. It’s a nightmare scenario that could make it.
Egypt held an Arab summit on February 27th, working with other countries on mutual proposals that will allow Gaza to be rebuilt without deleting its population. Human rights groups say the expulsion of Palestinians is likely to violate international law.
Egypt warns that a massive influx of Palestinians from Gaza will undermine a nearly half-century peace treaty with Israel.
The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have also rejected mass displacement of the Palestinians.
The United Arab Emirates is the driving force behind the 2020 Abraham Agreement, with Arab countries within which Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco and Sudan normalizing relations with Israel in the early Trump period. did. Trump wants to expand the agreement to include Saudi Arabia, and could provide closer US defense ties, but the kingdom normalizes relations with Israel if it doesn’t have a path to a Palestinian state. He says he won’t.
Rubio does not visit Egypt or Jordan. It has closed its US allies in peace with Israel, which refused to accept the influx of Palestinian refugees. Trump suggests that if they don’t follow, we may cut our aid.
Rubio also skips Qatar.
Arab and Muslim countries are conditioning postwar support for Gaza with their return to Palestinian governance, with a path to the West Bank, East Jerusalem state that Israel seized in the 1967 Middle East War.
Israel excluded all its Palestinian state and its role in Gaza for Western-backed Palestinian authorities when Hamas seized power there in 2007.
