Attempts to circumvent Netanyahu to pass the “Next Day” document (Government Press Office)

Occupied Jerusalem -

The “Day After” document of the war on Gaza, which was presented by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the Mini-Ministerial Council for Security and Political Affairs (Cabinet), reflects the state of uncertainty and ambiguity resulting from hesitation in making decisive decisions and Netanyahu’s attempt to maneuver between the restrictions imposed by the government coalition.

By proposing the “The Next Day” plan, Netanyahu aims to avoid international pressure, avoid a clash with the administration of US President Joe Biden, and preserve the government coalition and prevent its disintegration, by pleasing partners from the right-wing parties, especially the head of the “Jewish Greatness” party, Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, And the head of the "Religious Zionism" coalition, Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

The first part of the document comprehensively reviews Israel's security interests in the "day after," including the Israeli requirement to control and control communications between the Palestinians and the world, with a focus on the Salah al-Din Axis (Philadelphia Axis) between Gaza and Egypt, which was a major means of enhancing the influence and power of Hamas. Military, according to the document.

Therefore, according to Israeli analysts and researchers, the document is considered general directives that express the ideal situation desired from an Israeli point of view, and lacks the details required to translate the plan into practice and confront the challenges, restrictions, and internal political turmoil.

The next day

Netanyahu’s announcement of the “The Day After” document comes at a time when the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper revealed an Israeli plan aimed at preventing the return of displaced Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to their homes in the northern Gaza Strip, while the Israeli army maintains control over the “Netzarim Corridor,” which separates The southern neighborhoods of Gaza City and Wadi Gaza.

According to the newspaper, Israel has until now been opposed to the return of the displaced to their homes in the northern Gaza Strip, but, according to the newspaper’s political affairs correspondent Itamar Eichner, “it may show flexibility in making a decision to allow the return of the displaced, especially children and women.”

He explained that Israel is using the partial control of the Israeli army over the northern Gaza Strip area as a bargaining chip to improve the terms of the potential exchange deal with Hamas, as well as in order to end the conflict with Hamas and transfer control to local parties that have no connection to Hamas, as a condition for the possible withdrawal from the “Netzarim Corridor” and the return of all displaced people to their areas.

A bargaining chip

Militarily, the newspaper's military correspondent, Yoav Zeitoun, says, "The Israeli army moved from the war phase to the combat phase and operational activity, with the smallest number of forces in the Gaza Strip, but it expanded the Netzarim corridor as a future bargaining chip to end the fighting."

Zaitoun explained that the Israeli army continues to fight in the northern Gaza Strip, where between 30 and 40% of Hamas fighters are still active in this area, by pressuring the remaining civilians to displace them from the southern region to expand military operations, and continues to fight with the aim of imposing pressure on Hamas. During negotiations.

The military correspondent estimated that the beliefs that have taken root in Israel indicate that it is not possible to end the war and withdraw from the Gaza Strip without carrying out a military operation and invading Rafah, as discussions continue in Israel regarding the evacuation of 1.4 million displaced people in the city and its environs with the aim of fighting against 4 Hamas brigades.

Not applicable

The head of the Palestinian Studies Forum at the Dayan Center at Tel Aviv University, Dr. Michael Milstein, expresses his doubts about the seriousness of the “The Day After” plan document presented by Netanyahu, noting that the document is full of ambiguity and lack of clarity, and reflects a lack of desire to make decisions.

In an article published in the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, Milstein explained that the Israeli document of principles presented by Netanyahu is merely an internal maneuver and escape, noting that the document faces difficulty in forming the basis for an action plan that is applicable and implemented in reality.

Milstein pointed out that the "next day" does not seem to be near, with the fighting continuing in Gaza and the Hamas leader, Yahya Sinwar, remaining alive.

He also pointed out that there is a large part of Hamas' military infrastructure that is still steadfast, and that the movement still controls the areas where the Israeli army is active, especially in the northern Gaza Strip.

The Israeli researcher believes that the content of the document indicates that it will not be possible to achieve it on the ground except after the actual elimination of the military and governmental capabilities of Hamas in Gaza, which is a goal that cannot be talked about at the current stage in terms of how and when it can be achieved, saying, “It may require Achieving this is controlling the entire region and occupying the sector.”

Milstein explained that most of the problems exist in the second part of the document, which discusses the civil and political dimension, which Israel trembles over even before October 7, and the extreme ambiguity is embodied in the description of “local parties with administrative experience and not involved in terrorism,” which are supposed to carry out control. Civil rather than Israel.

The ambiguity and ambiguity is enhanced, according to the Israeli researcher, by the fact that the Palestinian Authority was not identified as a potential partner, but he did not mention that it is not one, saying, “It appears that this plan aims to satisfy members of the government coalition and the international community, which is increasing its pressure on Israel.”

Deception and illusions

Under the title “With Bibi (Benjamin Netanyahu), the next day is the day before,” the deputy editor-in-chief of Haaretz newspaper, Noa Landow, wrote an article in which she criticized Netanyahu’s plan document, which came under the title “The Day After Hamas,” saying that “ The impression from the next day’s document from Netanyahu’s point of view is very similar to the day before the war on Gaza.”

Looking at this short document, as is customary in the Netanyahu government, Lando says, “The purpose of the document is mainly to play with words and use enthusiastic phrases, in order to hide the fact that the document is meaningless and has no intrinsic value.”

She explained that the plan is nothing but an attempt by Netanyahu to deceive the Israeli public and sell illusions to readers as if the document is a kind of development, saying, “In reality, there is no development there at all. The document is just a masterpiece of stagnation, as Netanyahu confirms that the war will continue until it achieves its goals.” .

She concluded by saying, "Netanyahu does not have any plan for a future political settlement with the Palestinians, as Israel categorically rejects such a plan, while Netanyahu's plan for the next day is that he does not have a plan at all. He wants to manage the conflict without ever resolving it."

Source: Al Jazeera