Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed on Tuesday that he wants Israel’s military to maintain an open-ended occupation of the Gaza Strip after the current war.
“Gaza must be demilitarized. And in order for Gaza to be demilitarized, there is only one force which can ensure this demilitarization – and this force is the Israel Defense Forces,” Netanyahu said. “No international force can be responsible for this.”
Netanyahu’s comments come after a report from POLITICO said the Biden administration has been drafting a plan for the Palestinian Authority, which administers some areas of the West Bank, to take over post-war Gaza. But Netanyahu has made clear he’s opposed to the idea.