Israel worried U.S. to proceed to rebuilding Gaza without disarming Hamas, i24NEWS understands
Senior Israeli official also register their concern with the shift in language in the latest U.S. resolution toward an endorsement of Palestinian statehood
The dispute is emerging between Jerusalem and Washington over the question of rebuilding of Gaza and disarming Hamas, i24NEWS understands. Additionally, Israel is concerned with the shift in U.S. language toward a "Palestinian state."
Ahead of the significant week and the expected United Nations Security Council vote on the international stabilization force (ISF) for Gaza, which is supposed among other tasks to disarm Hamas, Israel is pointing to a worrying direction in which the Americans are heading - to immediately begin rebuilding the Strip before the question of disarming Hamas has been resolved.
This coincides with reports of difficulties in forming the International stabilisation force.
In addition, Israel is casting great doubt on the question of disarmament.
A senior Israeli official estimates: This will not work, in the end we will demilitarize the terrorists by ourselves, similar to what is unfolding in Lebanon, where the French representatives, as expected, are doing nothing.
At the same time, a very worrying change in the wording of the resolution that will be put to the vote clarifies that the purpose of the resolution that will be adopted this week in the Security Council is to establish a Palestinian state.
Senior Israeli officials told i24NEWS that this is a very worrying change though, according to the Americans, the shift in language was required in order to convince the member states to mobilize forces for the international stabilisation force.
Israel also claims that it still has the right to veto the multinational force, although the wording in the proposal is a little more amorphous: "in close consultation with Israel."