Netanyahu and Trump admire the "Fight fight fight" image from Butler Penn / Whitehouse.gov, public domain

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief

JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared Monday that no Turkish or Qatari soldiers will be allowed to operate in the Gaza Strip, acknowledging a “certain dispute” with the United States over the composition of a U.S.-backed body intended to oversee Gaza’s postwar governance.

Speaking during a heated 40-signature debate in the Knesset plenum, Netanyahu pushed back against the recent announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump that Turkish and Qatari representatives would be included in the so-called Gaza Board of Peace.

“Turkish or Qatari soldiers will not be in the Strip,” Netanyahu said from the Knesset rostrum. “We have a certain dispute with our friends in the United States regarding the composition of the advisory council that will accompany the processes in Gaza.”

Netanyahu stressed that while Israel values its alliance with Washington, Jerusalem will not compromise on what it views as core security interests. He said Israel is preparing to move into “Phase B” of the Trump administration’s Gaza framework, contingent on the return of the remains of slain hostage Ran Gvili, as required under the agreement’s first stage.

“Phase B means one simple thing: Hamas will be disarmed, and Gaza will be demilitarized,” the prime minister said. “We are committed to these goals, and they will be achieved — either the easy way or the hard way.”

Tensions Over Gaza Governance

While Turkey has publicly expressed interest in participating in a multinational force to oversee Gaza’s security, Israeli officials have repeatedly warned against allowing countries hostile to Israel to gain any foothold in the enclave. Qatar, despite its close ties to Hamas and its role as a mediator, is not believed to be considering a military role.

Netanyahu emphasized that neither Turkey nor Qatar would be granted “authority or influence” over Gaza’s future, even as U.S. plans envision their participation on supervisory committees.

The prime minister also issued a stark warning to Iran, amid heightened regional tensions. “If Iran makes a mistake and attacks us, we will respond with a force it has never known,” he said.

Opposition Accuses Netanyahu of Being Sidelined

Opposition Leader Yair Lapid, head of the Yesh Atid party, sharply criticized Netanyahu, accusing him of being bypassed by Washington.

“President Trump announced, over your head, the composition of the governing committee of Gaza,” Lapid said. “Hamas’s hosts in Istanbul and Doha — Hamas’s ideological partners — were invited to run Gaza.”

Lapid argued that the technocratic committee proposed to manage daily life in Gaza is effectively dominated by the Palestinian Authority and warned that the arrangement could force Israel back into large-scale fighting.

“Either you agreed behind our backs that Turkey, Qatar, and the Palestinian Authority would be in Gaza,” Lapid charged, “or Trump does not take you seriously at all.”

Crime in Arab Communities Sparks Broader Clash

The debate was formally convened by Ra’am party leader Mansour Abbas to address rising crime and violence in Arab Israeli communities. Abbas accused the government of systemic failure, citing record murder rates and widespread criminal control over local authorities.

Netanyahu rejected the accusations, saying his government views organized crime as a national security threat. “Criminal organizations are terrorist organizations in every respect, and we will wage an all-out war against them,” he said, blaming previous governments led by Lapid and former prime minister Naftali Bennett for dismantling oversight mechanisms.

Former defense minister Benny Gantz also weighed in, warning that Israel’s security is endangered as long as National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir remains in office — a claim Netanyahu dismissed.

Security, Sovereignty, and Elections Ahead

The exchange underscored mounting political tensions as Israel moves closer to elections and as Washington and Jerusalem navigate sensitive disagreements over Gaza’s future. Netanyahu insisted that occasional disputes with the U.S. would not undermine the alliance, calling Trump “our greatest friend in the White House,” while reaffirming Israel’s determination to prevent hostile foreign forces from entrenching themselves on its borders.

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