Just hours after US President Donald Trump unveiled the Gaza peace plan with much ambition and anticipation of being hailed as a ‘peacemaker’, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has outrightly debunked certain elements of the peace plan. Prime Minister Netanyahu has ascertained that, Israel will ‘strongly oppose’ the statehood for Palestine and the Israeli Defence Forces(IDF) continue to be present in most of the Gaza strip. Contrary to the declarations by the Israel Prime Minister, these two were the major aspects of Donald Trump’s peace plan.
As per the 20-point Gaza peace plan released by US President Trump, Israel will gradually vacate the majority of the Gaza strip and only a tiny buffer zone will be created on the Gaza side of the Israel-Palestine border, once the Israeli forces completely withdraw from the strip. Thereafter, a means of rendering statehood to Palestine will be championed, said the peace plan of Trump. Apparently, Netanyahu ha refuted both of these proposals mentioned in the peace plan.
“Not at all, and it is not written in the agreement. One thing was made clear: We will strongly oppose a Palestinian state,” said Netanyahu. He further added, “Israel military will remain in most of the Gaza strip”. In a contradictory statement Trump peace plan reiterated that “Israel will not occupy or annex Gaza”.
Trump plan on withdrawal and statehood
Trump Gaza peace plan mentions that an International Stabilization Force(ISF) will take over Gaza’s security paradigm from the Israel. Later on, the security of the Gaza strip will be handed over to the Palestinian authority once the statehood is achieved. Meanwhile, the Israeli Defence Forces will withdraw based on standards, milestones and timeframes linked to demilitarization. The key stakeholders in the process will include Israeli Defence Forces(IDF), International Stabilization Forces(ISF), the United States and other guarantees.
On Palestinian statehood the peace plan of Donald Trump additionally mentioned that with the progress of the Gaza peace plan, the Gaza strip will be handed over to a reformed Palestinian Authority(PA). A credible pathway for the self-determination and statehood of Palestine will be established, based on the aspirations of the people of Palestine.
The other aspects in the 20-point peace plan are, the war in Gaza will end with the release of all the Israeli hostages and the Palestinian prisoners. Disarmament of Hamas and removal of the Hamas as the rulers or authorities of Palestine will undertake, thus transforming Gaza into a terror-free zone. Meanwhile, an interim Palestine committee of technocrats will look after the day-to-day affairs of the region, under the supervision of an international transitional body chaired by Trump. Gradually, the administration will be transferred to internationally recognized de facto Palestinian Authority(PA).
The plan also spoke about the rehabilitation and redevelopment of Gaza. However, with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu debunking two most crucial elements of the Trump’s Gaza peace plan, the future of the plan swings in air.
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