A lasting peace will require the establishment of a temporary security zone on the outskirts of Gaza, writes Benjamin Netanyahu when he formulates Israel’s demands in a debate article in the American newspaper Wall Street Journal. He also wants to see special controls to prevent arms smuggling across the Gaza-Egypt border in the future.
Israel’s prime minister does not believe that the Palestinian Authority, which formally rules the occupied West Bank, can take over in Gaza.
“For the foreseeable future, Israel will have to retain primary security responsibility over Gaza,” Netanyahu writes.
Proposal for a cease-fire
Netanyahu’s move comes as Egypt tries to negotiate a proposed ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
According to the Egyptian proposal, the Israeli hostages will be released step by step, and then a Palestinian government composed of experts will be formed to take over the governance of the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank.
An Egyptian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the AP that the details had been worked out with Qatar and presented to Israel, Hamas, the US and European governments.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has yet to comment directly on the proposal. But speaking to members of his Likud party, he said he was determined to continue Israel’s offensive.
– We are increasing the fight in the coming days and this will be a long fight, he said.
Does not release power
Hamas has dismissed suggestions that the movement would relinquish political power in the Gaza Strip in exchange for a permanent ceasefire, two anonymous Egyptian sources told the Reuters news agency.
Both Hamas and its allied extremist group Islamic Jihad, however, deny these reports and say outwardly that no negotiations will take place until Israel’s attacks cease.
The leadership of Hamas is doing everything it can to achieve a final, not temporary, pause in the attacks and massacres of our people, says Izzat al-Rishq, who is part of the Islamist movement’s political leadership, to Reuters.