Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been dealt a significant blow by his far-right coalition partners after they rejected a US-backed plan for postwar governance in Gaza, citing his failure to annex the territory and establish new Israeli settlements.
The plan, which includes representatives from Turkey and Qatar, was part of a broader "board of peace" proposed by former US President Donald Trump as part of his 20-point plan to end the conflict. The board would be chaired by Trump, with other international officials and regional leaders, including Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Qatari diplomat Ali al-Thawadi.
The rejection came from Bezalel Smotrich, Israel's finance minister and a settler in the West Bank, who described Netanyahu's "unwillingness to take responsibility for Gaza" as "the original sin". Smotrich advocated for a military government in Gaza to encourage immigration and settlement, which would ensure Israel's security for years to come.
Smotrich's comments were seen as a significant blow to the US plan, with many fearing that the rejection could lead to renewed tensions between Israel and its allies. The Prime Minister himself had objected to the plan on Saturday, citing concerns over some of the appointments being "not coordinated with Israel" and "contrary to its policy".
The rejection has highlighted the deep divisions within Netanyahu's coalition, which is key to his political survival. The far-right allies have consistently opposed a US-brokered ceasefire and any Turkish role in postwar Gaza, citing strained relations between the two countries.
As the conflict rages on, at least 451 Palestinians have been reported killed since the ceasefire took effect last October. Life in Gaza remains precarious, with airstrikes and gunfire continuing despite a slowdown in recent days. The situation has taken a new turn with severe winter storms causing deaths and flooding in displacement camps already stretched beyond their limits.
The White House announced that Trump's plan would include three bodies: the board of peace, a Palestinian committee of technocrats tasked with governing Gaza, and an advisory Gaza executive board. However, the US administration's request for member states to contribute $1 billion in cash if they want their membership to last more than three years has sparked controversy.
The fate of the Gaza truce plan remains uncertain as the focus shifts from implementing a ceasefire to establishing transitional governance, demilitarisation, and reconstruction in the territory. With tensions running high, it is unclear whether Israel will be able to navigate this delicate situation without further conflict.
The plan, which includes representatives from Turkey and Qatar, was part of a broader "board of peace" proposed by former US President Donald Trump as part of his 20-point plan to end the conflict. The board would be chaired by Trump, with other international officials and regional leaders, including Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Qatari diplomat Ali al-Thawadi.
The rejection came from Bezalel Smotrich, Israel's finance minister and a settler in the West Bank, who described Netanyahu's "unwillingness to take responsibility for Gaza" as "the original sin". Smotrich advocated for a military government in Gaza to encourage immigration and settlement, which would ensure Israel's security for years to come.
Smotrich's comments were seen as a significant blow to the US plan, with many fearing that the rejection could lead to renewed tensions between Israel and its allies. The Prime Minister himself had objected to the plan on Saturday, citing concerns over some of the appointments being "not coordinated with Israel" and "contrary to its policy".
The rejection has highlighted the deep divisions within Netanyahu's coalition, which is key to his political survival. The far-right allies have consistently opposed a US-brokered ceasefire and any Turkish role in postwar Gaza, citing strained relations between the two countries.
As the conflict rages on, at least 451 Palestinians have been reported killed since the ceasefire took effect last October. Life in Gaza remains precarious, with airstrikes and gunfire continuing despite a slowdown in recent days. The situation has taken a new turn with severe winter storms causing deaths and flooding in displacement camps already stretched beyond their limits.
The White House announced that Trump's plan would include three bodies: the board of peace, a Palestinian committee of technocrats tasked with governing Gaza, and an advisory Gaza executive board. However, the US administration's request for member states to contribute $1 billion in cash if they want their membership to last more than three years has sparked controversy.
The fate of the Gaza truce plan remains uncertain as the focus shifts from implementing a ceasefire to establishing transitional governance, demilitarisation, and reconstruction in the territory. With tensions running high, it is unclear whether Israel will be able to navigate this delicate situation without further conflict.
. It's like they're stuck in a never-ending nightmare. 451 Palestinians already lost their lives and yet we still haven't seen any real progress. I mean, what's the point of having a plan if it's just gonna get rejected by Netanyahu's coalition partners? 
I feel so sorry for those families who have lost loved ones and are still struggling to survive.
The US government should really be doing more to pressure Netanyahu's coalition partners into making some concessions. It's like they're just letting things drag on and on without any real effort to resolve the situation.
Can't we just have a peaceful resolution already?!
This is crazy! Netanyahu's coalition partners are like, "Hey, we gotcha" 
, after rejecting a US plan that was meant to bring peace 
to Gaza. Bezalel Smotrich is all about the settlements 
and wants a military government in Gaza? 
That's not gonna end well for anyone 
.
. It's hard to keep track of who's who 
. And now with the winter storms hitting Gaza 
, it's just getting worse. The White House wants $1 billion from member states? 
.
. It's all so confusing 
and frustrating 
. Can't we just have peace in the Middle East already 
?
. I'm not surprised, tho - Netanyahu's been playing a super aggressive game for ages 
. If his far-right coalition partners are rejecting the plan, it means they're not gonna budge on their anti-Palestinian stance 
. What's next, Israel annexing all of Palestine? 
Smotrich's comments are straight fire 
, and the US is caught in the middle, trying to keep its friends happy while still wanting to broker peace 
.
he's got these huge divisions within his own party and they're forcing him to take a stance on Gaza, which is already super volatile 
. It's all very predictable at this point - more divisions within the coalition = good for Netanyahu, bad for peace 
. The US plan was always going to be a long shot anyway... but still, 451 Palestinians killed since October is just crazy 
. And let's not forget about Trump's plan having three bodies: who does that? 
. We need to keep pushing for a peaceful resolution to this conflict.
that just sounds like a recipe for disaster
. And now the US plan is all but dead, which is a shame 'cause it had some good ideas. The fact that life in Gaza remains so precarious is just heartbreaking 
let's focus on the ppl not the cash 