Israel's defence minister says he opposes open-ended military rule
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government on Wednesday to present a clear plan for post-war governance in the Gaza Strip, saying he would not support open-ended Israeli military rule over the Palestinian territory.
Gallant told reporters that for the past seven months, he had promoted a plan for a new Palestinian administration not linked to Hamas to govern the territory, but received “no response” from various Israeli cabinet forums.
"A dangerous trend is developing that advances the idea of Israeli military and civilian governance in Gaza,” Gallant was quoted as saying.
“This is a negative and dangerous option for the State of Israel strategically, militarily, and from a security standpoint,” he added.
“[Should this be the decision], military rule in Gaza would become the main security and military effort of the State of Israel over the coming years, at the expense of other arenas. The price paid would be bloodshed and victims, as well as a heavy economic price.”
His comments came hours after Netanyahu released a video statement where he said discussions concerning the “day after” were meaningless until Hamas was defeated.
In response to Gallant's comments, Netanyahu said that Hamas's elimination had to be pursued "without excuses" to pave a path to an alternative government in Gaza.