Daniel Wolfram
Netanyahu puts another road block into talks after Trump recently publicized a 15-point peace plan
There is an apparent growing divide between Israel and the United States.
At the center of it are Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu and President Donald Trump.
And it seems that a new peace treaty is already dead on arrival.
Cracks in the relationship
Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly trashed an American-backed document designed to stop the war in Gaza. The Israeli prime minister made it clear that his government will not accept a 15-point peace proposal made by the newly formed Board of Peace.
The rejection deals a fresh blow to Donald Trump, who recently praised the deal as a historic step toward peace. The U.S. president claimed the Board of Peace negotiated a framework for Hamas to lay down its arms in exchange for an Israeli military pullout from the region.
Instead, relations between the two leaders are growing visibly strained. Netanyahu openly acknowledged the tension, throwing a thinly veiled shot at American hegemony and loyalty.
“Unlike all those who lecture us, we do what needs to be done for Israel’s security, and we can and know how to stand our ground, even against our best friends when necessary,” Netanyahu said.
Disagreement over state recognition
The main disagreement centers on who withdraws first. Hamas insists that Israel must stop its military assault before any lay-down of arms occurs. Israel demands full disarmament before exiting Gaza.
Netanyahu stressed that any troop movement requires “genuine disarmament, not fictitious disarmament.” He insisted the group give up “heavy weaponry, lighter weaponry, all weaponry.”
One of the 15 points in the Board of Peace plan hinges on the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) pulling out of Palestine and being replaced by an international stabilizing force. This taskforce made by the Board of Peace would work together in unison with the Palestinian police force.
But Netanyahu crushed long-term political hopes attached to the framework. “As long as I am prime minister, a Palestinian state will not be established,” he declared.
Ceasefire repeatedly broken
This diplomatic clash comes as violence continues to spread even though there is still technically a ceasefire in place.
However, with Netanyahu strongly rebuking Trump’s peace plan, there is growing concern that the Prime Minister could hit a reset button and escalate the situation.
According to Amnesty International, an estimated 70,000 people have been killed in Gaza since October 7, 2023, when 1,200 Israelis were killed by the terrorist organization Hamas. Most of the 70,000 casualties since 2023 have been civilians.
