Lapid seeks Knesset approval of Trump plan, putting Netanyahu coalition on spot

Tel Aviv [Israel], November 25 (ANI/TPS): Opposition leader Yair Lapid announced on Tuesday that he will bring a motion to the Knesset next week calling for Israel to adopt U.S. President Donald Trump's 20-point Gaza peace plan, a move designed to support Washington while putting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition on the spot.

"The entire Israeli people are grateful to President Trump for leading a courageous deal to free the hostages. We support him and strengthen his hand in efforts to implement the steps of the plan. I expect all parties to vote in favor of the president's plan," Lapid said.

The plan lays out a phased strategy to end the conflict, including the return of all hostages--living and deceased--within 72 hours of agreement implementation. It envisions a temporary, technocratic Palestinian committee to manage day-to-day affairs in Gaza under the oversight of a new international body, the "Peace Council." The council would coordinate redevelopment and financing until the Palestinian Authority completes its reform program and can safely resume governance.

Although Trump's plan frames Palestinian statehood as a distant possibility contingent on reforms and security guarantees, it still explicitly acknowledges "a credible pathway to self-determination and a Palestinian state." Netanyahu and many coalition members have consistently opposed any notion of a Palestinian state, viewing it as incompatible with Israel's long-term security and territorial goals.

The U.S. plan also lays the groundwork for the eventual return of the Palestinian Authority to governing Gaza. Many coalition ministers are skeptical or outright opposed to empowering the P.A.

"This is a chance to strengthen Trump's hand and support a clear framework for ending the conflict," Lapid said. "It is also a test of whether the government is ready to stand with Israel's interests -- or with political expediency."

It is uncertain whether Lapid's motion will pass, which could embarrass Netanyahu.

After the United Nations Security Council adopted the Trump plan, Netanyahu called the plan "a framework that will lead to peace and prosperity because it insists upon full demilitarization, disarmament, and the deradicalization of Gaza."

Around 1,200 people were killed and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken captive by Hamas during the October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel. The bodies of two Israelis and one Thai national are still held in Gaza. (ANI/TPS)

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