Israel
Blinken set to unveil plan to install PA in place of Hamas in Gaza
Israel has so far blocked the return to Gaza of the PLO-led entity.
January 14, 2025 11:50
Israel has so far blocked the return to Gaza of the PLO-led entity.
January 14, 2025 11:50US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to unveil a plan for rebuilding and governing Gaza that involves the Palestinian Authority and several Arab countries, Axios reported on Tuesday.
Blinken plans to announce the move in a speech Tuesday at the Atlantic Council, a Washington-based think tank.
Under the deal, Arab countries may send troops to Gaza to stabilize the security situation there and deliver humanitarian aid, according to the report.
Beyond security arrangements, the plan will focus on administration and reconstruction, according to the report.
The governance of Gaza after the eventual withdrawal of the IDF has been a key sticking point in ceasefire negotiations to date.
More hawkish politicians, including far-right ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, have urged the Netanyahu administration to refuse any deal that doesn’t result in the total disbandment of Hamas.
Ben-Gvir has sparked outrage among hostage families and opposition parties after claiming credit for blocking a potential agreement multiple times since the summer of 2024.
Blinken’s speech is scheduled to take place amid intense negotiations for a Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal, with President-elect Donald Trump pledging that there will be “hell to pay” if the hostages aren’t returned by his inaguration on Monday.
Latest reports suggest that Hamas has accepted a draft agreement which would see limited hostage releases and the withdrawal of Israeli troops leading into further negotiations in the coming weeks.
Blinken has already presented his plan to several US allies, Axios reported, emphasizing the need for a robust governance structure in Gaza once a ceasefire is in place.
The plan reportedly proposes ways to “reform” the PA, while “making clear that it must be a part of any future government in Gaza.”
Blinken's speech will also reiterate principles he laid out early in the war against any permanent Israeli occupation of Gaza, the decrease of its territory or the forced transfer of Palestinians from Gaza, according to the report.
Israel’s government has so far opposed any day-after plan which includes the involvement of the PA.