New Delhi: In a major blow to US President Donald Trump’s latest breakthrough claim towards ending the war with Iran, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the Gaza peace plan.
Netanyahu also ruled out a Palestinian state in Gaza or the West Bank.
“As long as I am Prime Minister, there will be no Palestinian state in Gaza or the West Bank,” Netanyahu said.
Turning down the 15-point plan announced by Trump, Netanyahu stated that Israel won’t withdraw from Gaza until Hamas was fully disarmed.
Hamas, on the other hand, said it remained committed to the roadmap agreed with mediators and representatives of Trump’s Peace Council in Cairo, but insisted that Israel must first fulfil its obligations.
Netanyahu’s comments came days after Trump hailed the roadmap as a “major milestone” and a “great breakthrough.”
“Israel helped us, and they’ve been very good,” Trump had said after hosting Netanyahu in White House last week.
Trump did, however, acknowledge that implementing the plan could prove difficult. “Will it go through its ups and downs? It’s a very complex situation over there,” he said.