Full control

Gaza Strip: Netanyahu presents post-war plan

(Bild: ASSOCIATED PRESS)

According to media reports, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has outlined his plans for the Gaza Strip after the war.

As Netanyahu has repeatedly reiterated in the past, the aim is for the Israeli military to have full security control over the entire coastal area, reported the newspaper "The Times of Israel" on Friday night.

Regarding the future administration of the Gaza Strip, the policy paper vaguely states that it would be headed by "local officials" with professional experience. These would be people with no links to "countries or organizations that support terrorism".

Israeli female soldiers pose for a photo in southern Israel on the border with the Gaza Strip.(Bild: ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Largely known principles included
The Palestinian Authority (PA), which governs the West Bank, is not explicitly mentioned in the plan, the report said. However, its participation in the future administration of the Gaza Strip is not excluded. The plan largely includes well-known principles that Netanyahu has repeatedly expressed since the beginning of the war. However, it is the first time that they have been formally presented to the cabinet, the newspaper wrote.

The US is backing a revamped PA led by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and wants it to take back control of the Gaza Strip. Israel rejects this and accuses the Palestinian Authority of supporting terror.

USA backs two-state solution
However, Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu has so far also rejected calls from some of his government's far-right ministers for a resettlement of the Gaza Strip. As Israel's most important ally, the USA is in favor of a two-state solution that envisages the peaceful coexistence of Israel and a future Palestinian state. Even in the event of an agreement with the Palestinians, Israel claims comprehensive military control over all Palestinian territories. This would include the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, Netanyahu recently made clear.