Salami Tactics Threaten Israel's Security

Reports of Egyptian contractors touring the land from which the settlement of Atzmona was evacuated, and plans to establish a "Green Rafah" to house tens of thousands of Gazans, have caused significant alarm. A year ago, "Trump's plan for Gaza" was initiated, during which Hamas has not taken any steps toward disarmament, instead continuing to recruit, train, and carry out daily attacks against Israel. The author questions the timing of reconstruction plans, especially on Atzmona's land, advocating instead for a full occupation of Gaza, the elimination of Hamas, sovereignty, settlement, and emigration, asserting Gaza is part of the Land of Israel.

The decision to accept Trump's plan was a grave error, neglecting Israel's claim to Gaza and the suffering of displaced families. From a security perspective, the brutal October 7th massacre necessitates a clear Israeli victory and a decisive defeat for the enemy. The plan also bears a disturbing resemblance to the failed Oslo Accords, which aimed for self-rule to combat terror but ultimately failed in both Gaza and the West Bank.

However, the plan does have two crucial advantages: its primary goal, with international consensus, is the disarmament of Hamas and the full demilitarization of Gaza. Its starting point is also favorable, with the IDF controlling most of the Strip and overall security responsibility resting with Israel. Despite voting against the plan a year ago, the authors remained in the government to safeguard red lines and ensure decisions align with the goal of removing all threats from Gaza.

The main red line is adherence to this overarching objective: no reconstruction, no foreign forces, and no IDF withdrawal will occur before Hamas is fully disarmed and Gaza is completely demilitarized. An exception to this principle was the "Green Rafah" pilot program, which the Prime Minister had committed to early on without the authors' knowledge or consent. This pilot aims to test the idea of disconnecting Gazans' civilian dependence on Hamas by establishing temporary housing for those vetted as not belonging to Hamas.

This "Green Rafah" pilot was initially considered an isolated exception. However, recent presentations at the UN in New York portrayed it not as an exception, but as the first stage of a multi-phase process, implementing a "salami tactics" approach, reminiscent of the Oslo era. This new phased plan, which involves the Palestinian Authority governing demilitarized zones while the IDF withdraws, is seen as an attempt to erode the core principle requiring full demilitarization as a prerequisite. The authors sent a formal letter to the Prime Minister demanding a clear public rejection of these tactics and the use of the "exception" as a springboard for a broader policy contradicting all agreements.

They argue that proceeding with the "Green Rafah" pilot without the cancellation of the "salami tactics" plan endangers Israel's security. This is not the first time the "Peace Council" has acted subversively against agreements with Israel, necessitating their intervention to prevent harm to Israel's security and uphold red lines. While they did not initially want Trump's plan for Gaza, they see their role as gatekeepers to ensure its principles are upheld responsibly.