Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected a US-led Gaza plan endorsed by Hamas, distancing himself from President Donald Trump.
The development comes as Netanyahu tries to consolidate his voter base ahead of general elections, considered to be a close contest, AFP reported.
Netanyahu said in a cabinet meeting that Israeli forces will not withdraw until Hamas is "genuinely disarmed." "Israel rejects the 15-point document," the prime minister said
Though the stress was on Hamas giving up all of its weapons before any pull-back, analysts say the move was more of a symbolic statement to boost his electoral fortunes.
Late last month President Donald Trump had announced that the U.S.-led Board of Peace had reached an agreement to disarm Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza. As per the announcement the armed groups would surrender their weapons to a new Palestinian governing body, and Israel would begin pulling out troops in tandem with disarmament.
Trump had claimed in a social media post that rhe agreement "is a critical step towards Gaza finally being governed by a new Palestinian government that will work closely with the Board of Peace to help the Palestinian people." "At the same time, Israel will have the security it deserves, with Gaza no longer used as a base for terror attacks," the US president noted.
Netanyahu is reportedly under mounting pressure from his right-wing base ahead of elections, Al Jazeera reported.
The move comes after he faced scathing criticism from his own base for the plan, though it had assurances that Israel would not need to start withdrawing in Gaza immediately.
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," a defiant Netanyahu told his cabinet, according to an AFP report.
The Israeli leader has described Trump as "our greatest friend in the White House," but also mentioned he was willing to challenge his formidable ally, in a message clearly aimed at opponents of the plan with an eye on polls.
In a balancing act, Netanyahu said some ideas floated by the US were not acceptable.
"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 said.
Netanyahu is reportedly trailing in some polls ahead of October 27 elections.This is Israel's first polls since the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas that sparked the Gaza war. The Israeli prime minister is the country's longest-serving leader.
Netanyahu's move also came after opinion polls indicated that the Gaza plan mooted by Trump is unpopular with the Israeli Prime Minister's backers in the electorate.
Hamas, which has selected a new leader, has urged Washington to push Netanyahu to accept the Gaza plan.
Bassem Naim, a member of Hamas's political wing said it expects "the mediators and the American guarantor to pressure Netanyahu and his government to adhere to the road map, and not obstruct the process for internal political and electoral reasons." Hamas reiterated its commitment to the plan in a statement.
Netanyahu risks alienating Trump with the move. Trump has been a staunch backer of Israel. Trump himself is facing a backlash for his open backing of Israel, with detractors within his own MAGA base terming the protracted Middle East conflict as Israel's war.
A section of the MAGA voters believe Trump was prompted to unleash a war on Iran by Netanyahu. Differences between the leaders cropped up after the US sought a ceasefire. Trump-led Republicans are facing an uphill battle in the midterm polls slated for November. The Republicans are facing mounting criticism for the protracted war, which has stoked inflationary concerns and spurred oil prices. Trump's approval rating has dipped alarmingly.
Netanyahu has played the Iran card. He stated that "as long as I am prime minister, Iran will not have nuclear weapons."
Israel's fresh strikes on Lebanon in response to an alleged ceasefire violation by Iran-backed Hezbollah amid US-mediated talks between Israel and Lebanon is also seen as Netanyahu's political messaging ahead of the polls.
