JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly rejected a U.S.-backed 15-point peace plan for Gaza on Sunday, marking a rare public break with President Donald Trump. Netanyahu said the Israel Defense Forces would not withdraw from the Gaza Strip until Hamas is disarmed.
Netanyahu said the disarmament must be comprehensive, encompassing "heavy weaponry, lighter weaponry, all weaponry." Israel seeks "genuine disarmament, not fictitious disarmament," he said, adding that discussions on the matter are underway with American officials.
Trump's Board of Peace proposed the 15-point plan in July. It stipulated that Hamas would disarm in exchange for a complete Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza, and included a provision for an eventual transition of power to an independent Palestinian National Committee.
Trump had indicated the agreement would be implemented in stages. Netanyahu declared Sunday that he requires full Hamas disarmament before any part of the deal can move forward — directly contradicting the phased approach in the U.S. proposal.
Netanyahu's remarks targeted the U.S. administration directly. He rebuked American pressure to end conflicts in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran without Israel's full consent. "Unlike all those who lecture us, we do what needs to be done for Israel's security, and we can and know how to stand our ground, even against our best friends when necessary," he said.
Israel had previously signaled reservations about the U.S.-led initiative. Soon after Trump announced the plan last month, Israel intensified its bombing campaign in Palestinian territory. Those strikes killed 18 people last Sunday.
Netanyahu's office had earlier communicated that it would not support the plan. "The version that has been made public does not reflect Israel's positions," his office said. Sunday's rejection was more direct, aimed squarely at the Trump White House.
Nickolay Mladenov, the high representative for Trump's Board of Peace, responded to the rejection Sunday, telling Israeli television the plan remains the "only way forward." "The option we are offering today is the only way forward that ensures this tragedy does not happen again," Mladenov said.
Israel has become a recurring obstacle to the Trump White House's efforts to broker peace in the Middle East, including the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon and the war initiated by joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran.
Domestically, Netanyahu faces a difficult political landscape. He is preparing for elections in October and is under pressure from hardliners within his own government. His public defiance of the U.S. plan appears designed to reinforce his image as a firm defender of Israel's security interests.
Netanyahu's rejection is a setback for Trump's ambition to be recognized as a successful peace broker. With U.S. midterm elections approaching in November, the White House has sought diplomatic wins.
