Unprecedented political divide in Israel over Gaza occupation plan.

Unprecedented political divide in Israel over Gaza occupation plan.

The decision of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to launch a large-scale operation in Gaza City to completely occupy the city, which is the first step in the strategy of completely occupying the Gaza Strip, has provoked many reactions within the occupied territories.

On the one hand, a large part of the Zionist community began to protest against this plan, mainly due to the danger it poses to the lives of the prisoners remaining in the Gaza Strip, and on the other hand, politicians and leaders of the opposition parties have also strongly opposed it.

22 months after the start of the new round of the Gaza War and while 675 days have passed since October 7, 2023, and the captivity of Israeli prisoners in the Gaza Strip, Netanyahu’s cabinet voted to carry out a new phase of the offensive against the Gaza Strip. According to this plan, in the first phase, Gaza City is to be completely occupied by the Israeli army, and then, if necessary, the capture of the central camps of Gaza in Deir al-Balah.

In two consecutive press conferences yesterday, Netanyahu tried to present the operation as a “decisive solution” to end the war, announcing that he does not intend to permanently occupy Gaza; rather, he seeks to establish a “civilian government” for the Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip that, according to him, does not pose a threat to the regime.

However, he did not even explain in general terms who would be in the composition of this administration and what the mechanism of the administration would be. His silence on this matter fueled the pessimism of the opposition and the families of the hostages, who believe that this operation will not only not help to free the prisoners, but will seriously endanger their lives.

However, it seems unlikely that the implementation of this strategy will fundamentally end the war, both in theory and in practice, just as Israel has so far failed to remove Hamas from power despite its heavy occupation, destruction, and genocide in Gaza.