Senior officials on President Donald Trump’s Peace Council are pushing back against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s public rejection of a 15-point Gaza framework, arguing that Israel is already complying with the agreement in practice.

According to the officials, the key measure is not what Israeli leaders are saying publicly, but what is actually taking place on the ground.

“We are looking at the actions in practice, less at the statements and declarations,” the officials told Ynet. “In practice, Israel has stopped the targeted killings and is maintaining the ceasefire.”

The officials claimed that despite Netanyahu’s repeated statements rejecting the 15-point document, Israel’s actions are consistent with its provisions.

“In practice, Israel is implementing the 15-point agreement,” the officials said. “The IDF is positioned along the original Yellow Line — 53% of the Gaza Strip — and there are no outposts or forces beyond the Yellow Line. Israel is implementing the 15-point document, even though verbally it rejects it.”

The officials added that Israel would benefit diplomatically if its public statements more closely reflected its actions on the ground.

“It would of course be preferable for Israel if its declarations matched its actions in practice, and it would enjoy the diplomatic advantage of its compliance with the terms of the agreement,” they said.

Netanyahu, however, has publicly and repeatedly rejected the 15-point document.

“Israel rejects the 15-point document,” Netanyahu said several days ago. “I heard people saying, ‘You didn’t say it.’ So here I am saying it again: Israel rejects the 15-point document. The IDF will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is disarmed.”

Netanyahu also stressed that Israel’s demand for Hamas to disarm means the complete removal of its weapons, rather than a partial or symbolic disarmament.

“When I say disarming Hamas, that means the heavy weapons, the less-heavy weapons — all the weapons,” Netanyahu said. “We are talking about real disarmament, not fictitious disarmament.”

The prime minister said Israel remains in discussions with the United States over the issue, adding that some American proposals are acceptable to Israel while others are not.

“We know how to stand up to these things,” Netanyahu said. “We proved it in the past, and we are proving it today as well.”

Netanyahu added that the IDF would continue acting against threats to Israeli troops and civilians.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)