JERUSALEM – In a move that complicates a major U.S.-led diplomatic initiative, Israel's war cabinet announced on Tuesday afternoon that it cannot accept key provisions of a proposed 20-point peace plan for Gaza. While publicly welcoming the American effort to end the protracted conflict, the cabinet specified that clauses demanding a complete and permanent withdrawal of Israeli military forces from the Gaza Strip are a primary obstacle.
The detailed 20-point framework, presented by U.S. envoys last week, was designed as a comprehensive roadmap involving a phased ceasefire, the release of all remaining hostages, and a plan for the post-war governance of Gaza. However, a spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office stated that maintaining long-term security control over the Gaza border and key strategic zones within the Strip is non-negotiable for Israel. The rejection underscores the fundamental gap between the U.S. vision for a definitive end to the occupation and Israel's deep-seated security concerns.
This significant diplomatic challenge in the south occurred as a tense but welcome calm descended upon Israel's northern border with Lebanon. For the first time in weeks, no cross-border rocket fire, drone strikes, or artillery exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah were recorded since early Tuesday morning.
The de-escalation is not accidental. It is reportedly the direct result of intense, high-stakes shuttle diplomacy by international mediators, including senior U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein and officials from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). These intermediaries have been engaged in urgent, behind-the-scenes negotiations with both Israeli and Lebanese officials, aiming to pull both sides back from the brink of a full-scale war that could destabilize the entire region. Sources suggest that the talks have focused on establishing a clearer "rules of engagement" and reinforcing security arrangements along the UN-demarcated Blue Line.
While the lull in fighting on the northern front offers a glimmer of hope, the impasse over the Gaza peace plan highlights the immense difficulties that remain. The Israeli government's position on a permanent security presence in Gaza is a direct counter to the demands of Palestinian factions and the core principles of the U.S. proposal, which envisions a return to Palestinian administration.
The simultaneous developments paint a complex picture of the Middle East conflict: on one border, intensive diplomacy appears to be yielding a fragile de-escalation, while on another, the core political issues required for a lasting peace remain profoundly unresolved.
