Lead:
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu formally rejected a 15-point U.S. peace plan for Gaza today, vowing Israel will not withdraw from the territory and will not accept Palestinian statehood. The rejection came as U.S. officials said the plan represents the only viable path forward, and amid signals from Tehran that it may accept economic pressure rather than renewed military escalation in the Persian Gulf region.
Details:
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared Sunday that his government refuses the Gaza proposal presented by the Peace Council established by President Donald Trump. According to multiple Arab news sources covering the statement, Netanyahu asserted that Israel will maintain its military presence in Gaza and will not permit the establishment of a Palestinian state. Israeli security officials have also stipulated that any Israeli withdrawal must follow complete disarmament of Hamas, with external monitoring mechanisms in place.
The U.S. Peace Council's representative for Gaza indicated on Sunday that the rejected plan represents "the only way forward," underscoring Washington's position that the proposal offers the most viable framework for resolving the conflict. The gap between the U.S. position and Netanyahu's rejection signals continued diplomatic impasse on the core issues dividing the parties.
On the Iran file, President Trump signaled Sunday that his administration is prepared to escalate economic pressure on Tehran rather than launch new large-scale military operations. Meanwhile, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards stated that Tehran will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz to international navigation unless the United States meets a set of conditions, including lifting sanctions. The positioning suggests potential room for negotiation through economic rather than kinetic means, though specifics of Iran's demands remain to be clarified.
In related developments, Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei appointed Major General Mohsen Rezaei as his representative on the Supreme National Security Council, according to Iranian state media reported Sunday. This appointment followed confusion over the role and signals adjustments within Iran's security leadership.
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