JERUSALEM – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu abruptly postponed a critical cabinet meeting Thursday amid fierce coalition infighting over his controversial post-war Gaza occupation plan. The delay exposes deepening rifts as far-right ministers demand permanent Israeli control over Gaza while centrist allies threaten resignation.
Netanyahu’s proposed framework includes indefinite Israeli security control, dismantling UNRWA, and local Palestinian “administrators” – a plan rejected by Palestinian leaders and the international community. Far-right ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir demanded immediate Jewish resettlement in Gaza as a condition for supporting the plan, while War Cabinet member Benny Gantz warned against “permanent occupation,” calling it a “strategic threat.”
The White House reiterated opposition to Gaza reoccupation, stating: “We will not support actions preventing a pathway to Palestinian statehood.” The deadlock comes as Israel faces mounting pressure over Gaza’s humanitarian catastrophe, where UN agencies report 95% of Palestinians face crisis-level hunger.
The rescheduled meeting for Sunday precedes U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s regional visit, where Gaza governance will top the agenda.
Source: News Agencies