The Israeli newspaper Maariv revealed today, Wednesday, a three-stage Israeli plan for the day after the war on Gaza developed by a group of businessmen to manage the future of the Gaza Strip.
Maariv noted that the multi-stage plan was formulated as a trial balloon by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who refrained from discussing the “day after” war plans, claiming that Israel’s focus should be on the war itself.
The first stage involves setting up a complete Israeli military administration in Gaza, which will manage the transfer of humanitarian aid and assume responsibility for the care of the civilian population in Gaza during the transitional phase.
In the second stage, an international alliance will be formed, with the participation of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Morocco, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and other countries. The article did not elicit an immediate response from the mentioned Arab countries to the Israeli newspaper’s report.
This alliance will be part of the regional normalization agreement that will be signed later and will support the establishment of a new body called the New Palestinian Authority. This new authority will include officials not affiliated with Hamas and will not have a direct connection with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen). They will assume responsibility for Gaza from Israel, thereby also dismantling the military government.
Maariv added that Israel will retain the right to act on the security level in Gaza, as it does in the West Bank, whenever the need arises to thwart operations.
Regarding the third stage, the article explained that it will only occur after stability in Gaza and the success of the new authority, the New Palestinian Authority. It will also involve an extensive reform in the operation of the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, including a Palestinian education system overhaul.
If this stage goes smoothly within a predetermined time frame, ranging from two to four years, Israel will agree to recognize a demilitarized Palestinian state in the territories of the Palestinian Authority. There will also be discussions on the possibility of transferring additional areas, without requiring settlement evacuation, to that state.
According to the newspaper, this plan was secretly formulated in Israel by a committee of businessmen and was presented to US officials.
The newspaper identified that some of these businessmen are close associates of Netanyahu, including one real close friend. It considered this to be Netanyahu’s experimental balloon that aligns with the American initiative for a comprehensive settlement in the Middle East.
It was noted that Netanyahu does not make these contacts directly, but only through his close friend, Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer. This way, he promotes the ideas and manipulates them in a way that allows him to always deny direct involvement.
The newspaper also highlighted that, in addition to this plan, several other programs for the “day after” the war on Gaza are being worked on in Israel.
The authorities in Tel Aviv did not issue an immediate official comment on what was stated in Maariv’s report.
The United States has repeatedly announced in recent weeks its rejection of Israel’s reoccupation of the Gaza Strip, the establishment of settlements, or the displacement of its population.
