Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu unveiled his plan for an Israeli-endorsed resettlement of Gaza Friday, demanding an indefinite military occupation of the territory by the Israel Defense Forces.
The maximalist proposal, which also calls for a local government chosen by Israel and an uninhabited buffer zone around the enclave, was immediately denounced by Palestinian leaders, with representatives of the Palestinian Authority calling it “colonialist and racist.”
“Netanyahu’s proposed plans aim to perpetuate Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories and prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state,” said Palestinian Authority spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh, who added the proposal was “destined to fail.”
“If the world wants security and stability in the region, it must end the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories and recognise the independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital,” he added.
Meanwhile, the plan is likely to also face criticism from the Biden administration. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has stated opposition to any attempt to reduce the size of the Palestinian territory, as the proposed “buffer zone” plan would effectively do. Netanyahu has faced rhetorical opposition from the Biden White House in recent weeks even as the US president continues to send the country millions of dollars in military aid.
The plan’s proposal to seal off Gaza’s southern border runs counter to Egypt’s stated rejection of Israeli control of the crossing. Additionally, attempts to secure funding for reconstruction from the United Arab Emirates are unlikely without a roadmap to a Palestinian state, something that Netanyahu has repeatedly rejected.
The United States has paid lip service to the prospect of a so-called “two-state solution” for decades, declaring support for an independent Palestinian state existing alongside Israel. However, the US has failed to prevent Israeli settlement-building in the occupied West Bank, which observers say makes the possibility of a Palestinian state in the territory unfeasible.
Israel has historically been the US’ top recipient of foreign aid, having only recently and temporarily been overtaken by Ukraine amidst the country’s US-backed proxy war against Russia. The United States has sent billions of dollars to the country even while maintaining the pretense that it rejects its treatment of the occupied Palestinian population.