Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to insist that Israel must maintain control of the Gaza-Egypt border, known as the Philadelphi Corridor, as part of any hostage and ceasefire deal with Hamas, but the Israeli military doesn’t agree.
Netanyahu has said Israel must maintain control of the border, which includes the Rafah crossing, to prevent weapons smuggling from Egypt through tunnels. During previous rounds of negotiations, Cairo agreed to build an underground barrier on the border, but then Netanyahu started demanding indefinite control of the Philadelphi Corridor.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Israeli military leaders think Israel doesn’t need to keep troops on the border and could prevent weapons smuggling by using sensors and launching targeted raids, but Netanyahu is still insisting on maintaining control of the border and reiterated his position on Wednesday.
“Israel will insist on the achievement of all of its objectives for the war, as they have been defined by the Security Cabinet, including that Gaza never again constitutes a security threat to Israel. This requires securing the southern border,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement.
Netanyahu is also demanding that Israel maintain control of the Netzarim Corridor, which separates northern Gaza from the rest of the Strip, and he continues to reject the idea of a permanent ceasefire.
Netanyahu’s demands are seen by members of the Israeli negotiating team as an effort to sabotage the chances of a deal. Mediators believe an agreement will only be possible if the US is willing to put real pressure on the Israeli leader.
In other words, the Israeli military wants to honor the peace treaty with Egypt while netanyahu insists on breaking it. The press is so polite to refrain from offending Israel by saying what's really being negotiated here.
Is Israeli military man enough to orchestrate a coup d'état…?!
A "coup d' état" will trigger a civil war. Among the defenders of Natanyahu will be thousands of armed and fanatical West-Bank settlers. It will be bloody. I am fairly certain that the Israeli military will never try that.
Another words, they're bunch of cowards…!
Well, it would destroy Israel, or could. Politics isn’t usually about doing the right thing. It’s about power and order.
But maybe you’re right.
I don’t expect Egypt to care much, but maybe it leads to war. Israel couldn’t stand against Egypt too, but Egypt seems US controlled.
Israel uses US arms for military adventures and to add more military infrastructure.
Israel then presents those military adventures and infrastructure to the USA as a reason to obtain more aid and weapons.
Rinse and repeat.
The only reason Sinwar wants the Philadelphi corridor is so that he can resuscitate Hamas. There were 150 tunnels discovered by IDF between Egypt and Gaza. This allowed the smuggling of massive amounts of weapons and, of course, enriched the leaders of Hamas like the late Haniyeh. Israel should absolutely not relinquish this narrow strip of land at this point.
Seems like a deal could be made here — the IDF gets to control the Philadelphi corridor to make sure weapons aren’t delivered to Gaza, and Hamas gets to control, say, the Port of Haifa to make sure weapons aren’t delivered to Israel. Everybody wins!
And Israel throws in a promise not to assassinate Sinwar. Deal!
… And an ultra orthodoxy gets to assassinate bibi…! A better Deal…!
How about Palestinians get plenty of food and water, and Israelis leave them alone?
Dangerous beef and sweet potatoes might get in! The Palestinians might get to eat.