Netanyahu Slams the Door on 15-Point Plan, Vows No Withdrawal From Gaza

By Editorial Staff | August 9, 2026

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opened Sunday's Cabinet meeting with a forceful rejection of the 15-point framework currently under discussion, declaring flatly that Israel will not withdraw its forces until Hamas is fully and verifiably disarmed. Netanyahu said the IDF would continue moving against any threat to Israeli forces and citizens, stressing that disarmament must cover Hamas's heavy and light weaponry alike, and dismissing any partial arrangement as a sham. He acknowledged that talks with U.S. officials are ongoing, with some American proposals acceptable to Israel and others not, but insisted that Jerusalem has proven it knows how to hold its ground on matters it considers essential to its security.

Netanyahu used the address to push back hard against what he described as a wave of rumors over the past two days suggesting Israeli weakness or retreat on multiple fronts, noting pointedly that the same critics had previously urged a full withdrawal from Gaza, opposed entering Lebanon, and argued against striking Iran. On Iran, he praised President Trump as a great friend of Israel and emphasized the historic partnership between the two countries in countering Tehran's nuclear ambitions, vowing that Iran will not be allowed to obtain nuclear weapons for as long as he remains prime minister. He also pointed to weeks of Iranian restraint toward Israel, despite Tehran's attacks elsewhere in the region, as proof of the deterrent power Israel has built.

Turning to Lebanon, Netanyahu confirmed that Israeli forces have continued operating there in recent days, eliminating militants including in strikes on the Ali al-Tahir ridge, describing the effort as an important operation being carried out with prudence, wisdom, and determination alongside the IDF. He reiterated Israel's longstanding opposition to Palestinian statehood in either Gaza or the West Bank for as long as he leads the government, rejecting what he called "Fatah-stan" or "Hamas-stan" as alternatives. Citing past operations in Rafah, the Philadelphi Corridor, Lebanon, and two rounds of strikes on Iran, Netanyahu closed by insisting that Israel's security decisions are made on the ground rather than in public relations campaigns, and that the country is prepared to stand firm even against its closest allies when its core interests are at stake.