Netanyahu Firmly Opposes Gaza Withdrawal During Meeting with Kushner
Translated & summarized from Arutz Sheva by baba
Prime Minister Netanyahu met with US envoy Jared Kushner and UN envoy Nikolay Mladenov to discuss Gaza's future, firmly opposing Israeli troop withdrawal before Hamas is fully disarmed. They agreed to form working groups on disarmament and civilian infrastructure, but differ on the timeline for Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Netanyahu met Kushner and Mladenov for four hours to discuss Gaza's future plans.
- Israel opposes any troop withdrawal from Gaza before Hamas is fully disarmed.
- Two joint working groups were agreed upon: disarmament and civilian infrastructure.
- US urges Israel not to hinder Washington's Gaza plans amid upcoming Israeli elections.
- Main dispute is over timing: US wants gradual withdrawal; Israel demands full Hamas disarmament first.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met for about four hours on Monday with Jared Kushner, the US President's envoy, and Nikolay Mladenov, head of the UN's Gaza peace council. Following the lengthy talks, Kushner and Mladenov held a separate meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog. According to an Israeli source cited by CNN, Kushner urged Netanyahu not to obstruct Washington's plans for Gaza's future. Netanyahu responded that advancing the US framework faces challenges due to Israel's upcoming elections.
The Prime Minister's Office described the discussions as "deep and constructive," announcing agreement to establish two joint working groups. One will focus on Gaza's disarmament, while the other will address infrastructure development and civilian needs. Sky News reported that the core discussion centered on the US supervision mechanism for dismantling Hamas's weapons.
Netanyahu explicitly opposed any withdrawal from the Gaza border at this stage, emphasizing the need to maintain the Israel Defense Forces' operational freedom against Hamas. The main dispute concerns the timeline: the US expects a gradual IDF pullback concurrent with Hamas disarmament, whereas Israel insists that full Hamas disarmament must precede any significant withdrawal.
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