Israeli Minister Orit Struck Condemns Gaza 'Roadmap' as Threat to National Security

Israeli Minister Orit Struck has strongly criticized a recently published "roadmap" for Gaza, warning that it endangers Israel's security by enabling continued terrorist armament rather than disarmament. The document, released a week ago by the "Peace Council" and negotiated by Turkey, Qatar, and Egypt, contradicts the official goal of disarming Hamas and demilitarizing Gaza, which was a key objective of the Trump administration's plan and supported by Israel's security cabinet and the UN Security Council.

Struck described the plan as a "map of blood," arguing that it allows weapons to remain in Gaza, merely transferring them between Palestinian hands without destruction. She highlighted that the roadmap envisions a new Palestinian authority in Gaza governed by Palestinian Authority law, which includes financial rewards for attacks against Israelis, likening it to Nazi-era antisemitic laws. The plan also provides lifelong pensions to tens of thousands of Hamas militants and officials excluded from the new authority, funded by the Peace Council, effectively benefiting Hamas financially.

Furthermore, the international stabilization force intended to oversee Gaza's disarmament is stripped of policing powers and tasked only with monitoring ceasefire compliance, limiting Israel Defense Forces' operational freedom. The roadmap disregards Israel's security needs and breaks prior commitments linking Gaza's rehabilitation and Israeli withdrawal to full disarmament.

Struck emphasized that the Trump plan itself is flawed, as it treats Gaza as Palestinian territory and ignores Israel's historical claims and suffering. Despite opposing the plan, she and her colleagues remain engaged to ensure Israel's red lines are upheld, particularly the disarmament of Hamas and continued Israeli military presence in Gaza. She called for public rejection of the roadmap and any agreement allowing the multinational force's deployment under its altered mandate, warning that signing such agreements would legitimize a dangerous policy.

Struck concluded by invoking the biblical metaphor of "night" as the moment of decision, underscoring the gravity of Israel's current crossroads and the responsibility of its leaders to protect the nation's future by rejecting the roadmap and its implications.