Netanyahu says 'Israel', not PA, should take Gaza, Gallant disagrees
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The Israeli occupation's top leaders launched contradicting statements on who should run Gaza after Hamas is allegedly "destroyed" while they still cannot even maintain a foothold there.
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends the weekly cabinet meeting at the Prime Minister's office in occupied al-Quds, occupied Palestine, December 10, 2023 (AP)
The Israeli occupation cannot even maintain a foothold anywhere in Gaza without its forces being fiercely confronted and pushed back by the Palestinian Resistance and it is already talking about what would happen in the wake of its invasion of the Palestinian strip.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday during a discussion of the Foreign Affairs and Security Committee that he was opposed to the Palestinian Authority taking control of the Gaza Strip after the aggression ends, the Israeli Maariv newspaper reported.
"The Palestinian Authority will not be able to control Gaza under any circumstances," the Israeli premier maintained.
"Security responsibility will remain under the State of Israel. The difference between Hamas and the Palestinian Authority is only that Hamas wants to destroy us here and now and the Authority wants to do it in stages," he said despite the PA being recognized by the Israeli occupation as a representative of the Palestinian people.
Meanwhile, Knesset Member Merav Michaeli claimed that there needs to be a "political vision" alongside military action.
Another MK, Tali Gottlieb, argued that there cannot be "a political vision with terrorists," in clear reference to the Palestinian Resistance.
When the chairman of the committee, MK Yuli Edelstein, brought up the issue of the Israeli captives taken by the Palestinian Resistance, something that is highly contentious for Netanyahu and has been causing him countless issues on the home front, the premier dismissed his words, and said the meeting was "not the forum to talk about this."
The Netanyahu government has been met with a resounding failure when it came to freeing the captives taken by the Resistance military and has solely been able to bring back those the Resistance offered in a prisoner swap.
Netanyahu's assertions do not go in line with those of his Security Minister. Security Minister Yoav Gallant said Monday that the Israeli occupation does not plan on maintaining a permanent foothold in Gaza, saying "Israel" was open to discussions about who should be the alternative to ruling the Strip so long as it is not an anti-Israeli party.
Gallant also claimed that the occupation was open to the possibility of reaching a deal with Lebanon so long as that accord included a safe zone alongside the Lebanese-Palestinian blue line and appropriate guarantees from the Lebanese side.
US wants PA in Gaza
According to a Politico report that came out on Tuesday, two official sources in the United States, one from the State Department, have revealed that the Biden administration has been working on a multi-phase post-war plan for running the Gaza Strip, resulting in the Palestinian Authority gaining control of the besieged strip.
The article details how the White House, State Department, and other officials have been formulating the strategy in position papers and intergovernmental meetings since last month in an effort led by National Security Council Coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa Brett McGurk.
The State Dept official explained that amid "only bad options" the administration considers the PA the most viable with "significant legitimacy and capability challenges."
They intend to deploy an international force immediately following the war followed by a so-called "revamped" Palestinian Authority taking over long-term control of Gaza.
They also intend to boost security assistance from the State Department's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, as well as expand the position of the US security coordinator who advises Palestinian security forces.
This follows a statement by US officials that the mounting international pressure could prompt "Israel" to end its invasion by early next year, especially if civilian casualties continue at high levels.
