As Arab and international pressure intensifies on Israel to allow the Palestinian Authority to govern the Gaza Strip and advance toward a Palestinian state solution, Jerusalem has established a comprehensive list of conditions for Palestinian Authority reforms, insisting on the elimination of refugee status for Palestinians living in Judea and Samaria and Gaza.
Arab and Western diplomatic sources indicate these conditions encompass shuttering all UN refugee agencies, chiefly UNRWA (the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees), across Palestinian Authority territories with particular emphasis on Gaza, while transferring complete responsibility for civilian needs to the Palestinian Authority itself. Israel further insists on transforming "refugee camps" into standard neighborhoods or towns, and abolishing refugee designation throughout Palestinian Authority areas.
Reports from i24NEWS revealed that Israel has positioned the termination of UN refugee agency operations as a prerequisite for IDF withdrawal from Jenin and Tulkarem camps, where forces have maintained presence for months. Diplomatic sources confirm this demand surfaced in Israeli-American discussions and conversations with European intermediaries including Tony Blair and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz during Monday's meeting.
Israel has simultaneously advanced its established requirements: complete Hamas disarmament, comprehensive Israeli security authority with unrestricted military operations even in Palestinian Authority-controlled zones, total demilitarization of Palestinian territories excepting lightly-armed police forces, meaningful curriculum overhauls in Palestinian Authority educational institutions from kindergarten through university eliminating antisemitic and anti-Israel materials, population-wide de-radicalization initiatives, genuine Palestinian Authority security operations against terror organizations, and additional measures. Israel views these as essential preconditions for accepting a process culminating in Palestinian statehood, as mandated by the Trump plan (the framework for Gaza's future governance and normalization) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu endorsed.
During Monday's press conference following his session with Chancellor Merz, Netanyahu declared, "We believe pathways exist for advancing broader Arab peace and establishing workable peace with our Palestinian neighbors, but we refuse to create a state dedicated to our annihilation directly next to us. The sole principle we'll invariably maintain is Israeli sovereign security authority. We sidestepped the Palestinian Authority because it lacks peace commitment. Everyone claims they'll transform – I'm skeptical. They must cease indoctrinating their children in murdering Israelis and compensating terrorists."
Negotiations toward Phase 2
Diplomatic contacts have persisted toward an American announcement on commencing Phase 2 negotiations of the Trump plan (the framework for Gaza's future governance and normalization). The principal obstacle remains the unreturned body of the final fallen captive, Staff Sgt. Ran Gvili, a Yasam (Israel Police Special Patrol Unit) combatant killed battling Hamas terrorists on October 7 after neutralizing dozens.
Shin Bet Director David Zini traveled to Cairo last week, conferring with Egyptian counterparts on intelligence approximately pinpointing Gvili's location. Subsequently, Monday witnessed renewed searches in Gaza's Zeitoun neighborhood, conducted with Red Cross and Hamas representatives present.
Washington has pushed to announce Phase 2's commencement regardless of Gvili's recovery. Gvili's family petitioned Prime Minister Netanyahu against any advancement until Gvili's return. Family members report Netanyahu consented.
The Trump plan's Phase 2 encompasses Hamas's weapons dismantlement and governance transfer to an international civilian entity, paired with further Israeli withdrawal per security protocols. Hamas leadership has consistently proclaimed the organization won't relinquish arms, with internal disagreement on this matter, though even moderates reject complete weapons surrender.
Arab sources maintain that characterizing the situation as absent any transfer preparation progress misrepresents reality, asserting the incoming weeks will unveil the new governing apparatus designated for Strip authority, comprising an internationally-participated governing council alongside a bureaucratic administrative structure predominantly consisting of Palestinian Gaza residents, including former Palestinian Authority functionaries preceding Hamas's takeover.
Qatar seeks guarantees
Monday witnessed a noteworthy Washington meeting assembling Mossad Director David Barnea, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and a high-ranking Qatari delegate. This inaugural session in the reconciliation process represented the Netanyahu-Trump agreement's implementation. The initiative commenced with Netanyahu's White House call to Qatar's Prime Minister al-Thani during Netanyahu's late September Trump meeting.
The session established that within this US-mediated framework, monthly consultations will address contentious matters. Current agenda items encompass Qatar's Hamas member hosting, Qatari "mediation" that Israel contends yielded disappointing outcomes, and Qatar's insistence on Israeli pledges against territorial attacks.
