Israeli far-right ministers lash out at Netanyahu over US picks for Gaza board

Far-right members of Israel's governing coalition yesterday rejected a US-backed plan for postwar governance in Gaza, criticising their prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, for failing to annex the Palestinian territory and establish new Israeli settlements in the territory.

- Lorenzo Tondo

After the announcement of the White House's pick of world leaders who will join the so-called Gaza board of peace, which includes representatives of Turkey and Qatar, both of which have been critical of Israel's war in the strip, Israel's far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, described Netanyahu's "unwillingness to take responsibility for Gaza" as "the original sin".

According to Smotrich, himself a settler in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, the Israeli prime minister should instead "establish a military government there, to encourage immigration and settlement, and in this way to ensure Israel's security for many years".

The White House announced this week the setting up of the "Gaza executive board", which will operate under a broader "board of peace" to be chaired by Donald Trump as part of his 20-point plan to end the war.

The executive board, described as having an advisory role, includes the Turkish foreign minister, Hakan Fidan, and a Qatari diplomat, Ali al-Thawadi, alongside other regional and international officials.

Presumably referring to Qatar and Turkey, Smotrich said on X: "The countries that inspired Hamas cannot be the ones that replace it. Those who support it and continue to host it even now will not be granted a foothold in Gaza. Period.