Netanyahu's Stance on Hostage Deal Sparks Tensions and Protests in Israel

A report by Amale Chehadeh, English adaptation by Nadine Sassine

Efforts in Israel to formulate a revised proposal for the hostages exchange deal failed before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's departure to Washington on Sunday evening, following his refusal to make changes to some of the deal's clauses. Netanyahu's firm stance faces not only increased demands for the immediate approval of the deal but also the unification of all security agencies under this demand due to public pressure that led these agencies to backtrack on their previous objections related to security arrangements.

The mediators had asked the Israeli delegation to secure the officials' approval of the revised proposal after it was formulated in the latest negotiating sessions in Cairo, and they confirmed that negotiations would not resume without this approval. The amendments that Netanyahu rejects are related to his insistence on the army's control over the Philadelphi Route and his refusal to amend the proposal according to a new mechanism for Philadelphi and Rafah. Netanyahu also refuses to amend the clause concerning the return of Gazans to the northern part of the Strip and the cessation of an inspection mechanism not involving the army, insisting on his country's right to veto Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences who are included in the deal.

Netanyahu's rejection is related to his fear of his government collapsing after ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich threatened to withdraw from it. Meanwhile, Israelis are using the last hours until Sunday evening to pressure Netanyahu, with Saturday witnessing a new escalation in protests accompanied by an attempt to dismantle the government.

On the ground, the army is intensifying its fighting in several areas of the Gaza Strip while the military institution seeks to secure three interests in the negotiations until the complete withdrawal of the army from the Strip. 

These interests include maintaining field intelligence control and the ability to gather information about the presence of Hamas leaders and fighters, ensuring intelligence superiority to prevent Hamas from rebuilding its military capabilities, and guaranteeing current and future coordination with Egypt to prevent the smuggling of weapons and raw materials for weapon production, as well as preventing the exit and entry of Gazans who train abroad, particularly in Iran, as claimed by the Israeli army.