He also acknowledged that Israel and the US had a “certain argument” about the issue.
In a speech on Monday in the Knesset, the premier also claimed that the two countries, which are hostile to Israel, will not “have any authority or any influence” in the various bodies set up by US President Donald Trump’s administration to run postwar Gaza. In fact, the US decision to include senior representatives from both countries in the committee, called the Gaza Executive Board, means they will take part in supervising the enclave.
Prior to the US announcement, Netanyahu’s office repeatedly insisted that Israel would not allow Turkey or Qatar to gain any foothold in Gaza after the war. However, following the US announcement that the countries will play a role, Netanyahu has shifted to highlighting his opposition to a Turkish and Qatari military presence there.
“Turkish soldiers and Qatari soldiers will not be in the Strip,” he said in a speech from the Knesset rostrum.
While Turkey has indeed expressed interest in joining the multinational force meant to oversee Gaza’s security, the idea has not even been entertained by Qatar, as the Gulf state’s military is not suitable for such a contribution, sources familiar with the matter told The Times of Israel.
Netanyahu made the remarks during a so-called 40-signatures debate in the Knesset, a monthly opportunity for lawmakers to compel the prime minister to speak, and answer his opponents by garnering the requisite number of signatories on a petition. This month’s debate was initiated by the Ra’am party’s Mansour Abbas, and he called the premier to account for the country’s response to rampant crime in Arab Israeli locales.
Netanyahu, in his remarks, also promised that Hamas would be disarmed in Gaza, and threatened to strike back harshly at Iran if it attacks Israel. He claimed he had “nothing to hide” regarding his conduct surrounding the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attack. And he took shots at Opposition Leader Yair Lapid.
He also claimed that Hamas would be compelled to lay down its arms, a central piece of Gaza’s phase two. And he pledged to return the body of the final slain hostage, police Master Sgt. Ran Gvili.
“Phase two says something simple: Hamas will be disarmed, and Gaza will be demilitarized,” he said. “We are sticking to those goals, and they will be achieved either the easy way or the hard way.”
Israel will ‘act with strength’ if attacked by Iran
The premier also addressed other issues of the day, including the recent mass anti-regime demonstrations in Iran. He said Israel is “following closely” developments in the country, and he praised the “heroic struggle” of the Iranian people against the regime.
Trump had threatened to attack Iran, prompting a threat from Tehran to strike Israel in response. Netanyahu, who launched a 12-day air war against Iran last year, issued his own threat on Monday.
“If Iran makes a mistake and attacks us, we will act with strength that Iran hasn’t yet known,” he promised.
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