
CABINET REVERSAL SOUGHT: Smotrich And Strock Reject Gaza Roadmap
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Settlement Minister Orit Strock called on Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Monday to reject the Board of Peace’s Gaza roadmap and overturn a cabinet decision concerning the proposed multinational force.
In a letter to Netanyahu, the ministers described the 15-point roadmap published by the Board of Peace over the weekend as “a document dangerous to Israel.” They wrote that as long as it remains unchanged, its existence requires immediate operational steps to protect Israel from it.
The ministers argued that the roadmap directly contradicts the central objectives of disarming Hamas, demilitarizing Gaza and removing every threat from the territory against Israel. They also said it conflicts with explicit assurances given to Israel by the United States.
Smotrich and Strock focused in particular on the proposed multinational force. They wrote that cabinet ministers had been told the force would operate on the “red side” of the Gaza Strip, participate in collecting weapons and possibly receive additional assignments. They said the United States had also promised that the force would help demilitarize Gaza, disarm Hamas, destroy weapons and tunnels, confiscate terror funds and prevent threats against Israel.
Under the newly published roadmap, however, the ministers said the force would instead monitor Israel, separate Israeli troops from Hamas and restrict IDF activity inside Gaza.
The ministers demanded that Israel refuse to accept the roadmap until it is amended. They also called for the cabinet’s decision regarding the international force to be canceled, saying it had been approved on the basis of incorrect information.
They urged the cabinet to immediately adopt a revised decision blocking the force from entering Gaza until its purpose, legal authority and missions are sharply and clearly corrected.
Responding to the letter, a senior Israeli diplomatic official said Israel “will not withdraw from the current line in the Gaza Strip and will continue to thwart every threat to our civilians and soldiers.”
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)