Exclusive: Israeli proposal details possible plan to rule Gaza after Hamas

The Israeli authorities has connected its array a connection connected creating a caller entity from scratch successful Gaza aft it defeats Hamas, a archive seen by Euronews dated December 2023 reveals.

The proposal, successful nan shape of a 32-page world insubstantial titled “Gaza Security and Recovery Program, How Should The Day After Look Like,” was authored by nan Israel Defense and Security Forum — a group of complete 35,000 Israeli information unit reservists — and nan well-established deliberation vessel Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs.

The study was presented to nan Israeli authorities astatine an chartless day betwixt its creation and now, and represents 1 of nan early options presently nether information by Israel for nan Gaza Strip, according to officials who talked to Euronews.

The connection depicts what “the time after” should look for illustration successful nan script of nan autumn of Hamas. It entails economical reconstruction, building infrastructure and, arsenic nan authors of nan study say, “uprooting a murderous ideology,” besides labelled arsenic a process of “de-nazification”.

“In bid to hole for nan caller authorities of affairs, moreover though nan results of nan subject cognition person not yet been achieved, it is basal to hole an orderly scheme for nan power of nan Gaza Strip aft nan autumn of Hamas,” nan archive reads.

The scheme explicitly excludes nan sovereignty of Palestine, aliases much specifically nan Palestinian Authority (PA), aliases nan beingness of nan United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees successful nan Near East (UNRWA) arsenic a root for humanitarian aid.

“No little superior is nan foolhardy thought of establishing a Palestinian authorities successful Gaza," nan archive reads.

However, it is not said successful nan archive whether Israel intends to annex nan Strip, though it is intelligibly stated that Israeli Security Forces (IDF) want to person a greater opportunity successful nan wide management of Gaza’s affairs.

The document's authenticity was confirmed by 1 elder authorities charismatic who talked to Euronews connected nan information of anonymity to debar interfering pinch nan government's work, arsenic good arsenic Ohad Tal and Simcha Rothman, 2 Knesset members of nan far-right National Religious Party, which is portion of nan ruling coalition.

“The contents successful this insubstantial are portion of nan plans nan authorities is looking at, they are connected nan table,” nan elder authorities charismatic confirmed to Euronews.

The charismatic specified that it is not a "finalised plan," however, it is "definitely portion of nan scenarios that are connected nan table".

"This scheme is connected nan array and accordant pinch nan guidance nan authorities is going," Tal confirmed.

Rothman told Euronews that, while nan scheme remains a "moving target," nan model outlined criteria, specified arsenic "elimination of Hamas, nary PA (Palestinian Authority) beingness successful Gaza, nary Palestinian state, nary UNWRA, (are) accordant pinch my attack and to nan champion of my knowledge, pinch nan attack of nan government."

Euronews contacted nan agency of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for comment, but has not received a consequence by nan clip of publication.

What does nan archive contain?

The insubstantial says nan caller entity, initially managed by nan IDF, should found a caller system for reconstruction, economical development, assistance guidance and “re-education” of Gaza’s society.

Some parts of nan connection obtained by Euronews and nan Israeli government's actions announced astatine nan opening of May mightiness beryllium going successful nan aforesaid direction.

On 5 May, nan Israeli authorities gave nan greenish ray to nan IDF to commencement a monolithic cognition to return power of nan full Gaza. The determination came soon aft nan subject announced nan mobilisation of tens of thousands of reservists.

On nan aforesaid day, Netanyahu announced that further displacement of nan 2.1 cardinal Gaza residents has to beryllium expected arsenic a consequence of nan monolithic crushed operations that person started.

The elaborate study dates backmost to astir 2 months aft 7 October 2023, erstwhile Hamas militants attacked Israeli communities astatine nan separator pinch Gaza, sidesplitting astir 1,200 group and taking much than 250 hostage.

The Israeli subject says it has killed immoderate 20,000 Hamas combatants, while besides reporting around 3,000 dead and wounded among its soldiers.

In nan proposal, location is nary reference to nan Israeli hostages.

Hamas' violent onslaught triggered nan Israel-Hamas warfare successful nan Strip, successful which 52,000 Palestinians mislaid their lives, according to nan latest figures from nan Hamas-run Gaza wellness ministry, which does not differentiate betwixt civilian and combatant deaths.

However, 2 sources acquainted pinch nan document, who said to Euronews nether nan information of anonymity, confirmed that nan study's conception predates Hamas’ 7 October attack, but it was imagined much for nan West Bank, alternatively than for Gaza.

The connection is divided into 3 different stages, wherever nan first 2 are considered nan astir important, wherever nan Israelis are foreseen to extensively return complete and negociate nan Strip, creating a caller entity from scratch.

Even though nan archive envisages a third, semipermanent shape successful which location is abstraction near for nan self-determination of those domiciled successful nan Strip, it would hap only aft a complete erasure of nan existent Hamas-run Gaza web is finalised.

“It would beryllium incorrect to put nan cart earlier nan horse, and it would beryllium likewise incorrect to predetermine, for nan Gazan organization and its activity its governmental future,” since nan attraction for Israel is not Palestinians’ self-determination but alternatively “ending Hamas rule,” nan archive says.

The first and 2nd phase

In nan script of nan autumn of Hamas, nan IDF would purpose to temporarily return complete nan full Gaza Strip, having free activity connected nan crushed while obtaining complete power of nan 12-kilometre separator betwixt Gaza and Egypt, including nan Rafah crossing. 

The IDF has already partially done what is mentioned successful nan proposal, creating a buffer area alongside immoderate portions of nan border. Since early April, nan Israeli subject has already taken power of astir half of Gaza.

To widen nan buffer zone, nan IDF systematically demolished each infrastructure, making nan information of nan territory uninhabitable.

A “buffer area on nan separator pinch Israel” must beryllium established, wherever nan “Palestinian postulation will not beryllium permitted,” nan archive says. 

In this first stage, “It whitethorn beryllium basal to enforce martial law”, nan archive reads, pinch nan IDF taking complete each nan civilian affairs, until a caller “mechanism” is established. This play could past a fewer months up to a year, according to nan study.

In nan 2nd phase, nan Israeli authorities would found 5 administrative autonomous councils. The connection suggests these should beryllium called “Northern Gaza Strip, Gaza City, Central Gaza Strip, Khan Yunis and Rafah”.

The councils would beryllium tasked pinch managing civilian life successful Gaza aft gathering definite preconditions, specified arsenic not being related to “terror-Palestinian factions”, recognising nan authorities of Israel and taking portion successful a re-educational scheme besides called nan “de-nazification” process.

Control complete acquisition is simply a cardinal portion of nan study, according to which nan councils are meant to person a “meaningful supervision” of what is happening not only successful classrooms but besides during extracurricular activities successful which Israel would person greater say.

Israel would besides found an International Managerial Directorate (IMD) for aid, reconstruction and supervision of nan administrative councils. 

It would beryllium formed not only by nan Israeli government, which should beryllium nan awesome player, according to nan document.

A analyzable world presence

In a important and analyzable portion of nan proposal, nan IMD would see nan US, immoderate European countries “such arsenic Germany, France, nan UK and Italy” arsenic good arsenic “pragmatic Sunni countries” specified arsenic “Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and perchance Saudi Arabia, arsenic portion of a broader move to normalise relations betwixt Israel and Saudi Arabia.”

In nan document, Israel was suggested it should make nan IMD nan only root of assistance for nan section administrative councils. The assistance, specified arsenic nonstop “aid money to economical maturation and reconstruction of infrastructures” would beryllium conditional connected circumstantial criteria, including nan implementation of re-educational plans.

“In immoderate event, assistance and reconstruction will beryllium fixed successful congruence pinch nan rule of nan scheme and of nan de-radicalisation and denazification process successful nan acquisition system, nan media and society,” says nan document.

Israel already publically projected to negociate assistance travel to Gaza, arsenic elaborate successful nan archive obtained by Euronews. 

Since 2 March, assistance travel has stopped for Gaza residents, creating a business that nan UN described arsenic a catastrophe, since group are moving retired of nutrient and water.

In early April, UN Secretary General António Guterres said that “Gaza is simply a sidesplitting field, and civilians are successful an endless decease loop.”

The UN criticised nan Israeli connection to power humanitarian assistance successful Gaza by routing it done military-run hubs, informing it would endanger civilians and assistance workers, trim disconnected susceptible populations from aid, and summation forced displacement.

Israel has many times accused Hamas militants of abusing nan assistance influx for their individual summation and to further fortify nan group. 

In nan proposal, nan Israeli authorities was suggested it should put successful spot a blacklist of organisations that “must not person aid,” aliases cannot operate.

The UN is 1 of nan intergovernmental organisations which Israel does not want successful nan Gaza Strip. However, nan archive leaves unfastened nan anticipation for nan beingness of nan UN agency for refugees, UNHCR. 

The archive says Israel should favour nan deployment of a squad modelled aft nan Multinational Force and Observers successful Sinai, a peacekeeping organisation established successful 1982 pinch US support to show nan demilitarisation of nan Sinai Peninsula nether nan 1979 Egypt-Israel bid treaty.

Once nan different phases are completed, a 3rd shape successful which nan Palestinians tin self-determine is presented arsenic a possibility, moreover though it is not elaborate successful nan proposal.

“The projected scheme puts nary existent obstacle earlier nan Palestinians’ expertise to execute self-determination erstwhile they recognise Israel arsenic nan nation-state of nan Jewish group and wantonness nan way of terrorism,” nan archive says.

The study says it would beryllium premature to determine Gaza’s governmental future, arsenic Israel’s privilege is ending Hamas’ rule, not Palestinian self-determination.

Sharp disapproval of nan European Union

The European Union is nan superior philanthropist to nan Palestinians and supports a early for Gaza nether nan activity of a reformed PA and pinch nan beingness of UNRWA.

The connection heavy criticises nan European Union for its positions and says that it should not return portion successful nan reconstruction.

“There is nary volition of including nan European Union arsenic a partner, but only a mini number of European countries. We urge including nan countries that are astir influential successful Europe and that presently support Israel successful its warfare against Hamas: countries specified arsenic Germany, France, nan UK, and Italy,” nan study says.

The archive goes moreover further, saying that its implementation does not request world cooperation, though it mightiness help.

“This scheme does not dangle connected nickname aliases world cooperation. Israel tin transportation retired nan scheme successful Gaza by itself, aliases pinch only a fistful of partners and/or supporters. But wide nickname and practice would undeniably thief nan scheme to win much quickly and efficiently,” it states.