As US officials increasingly believe that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu intends to retreat from agreements on launching the second phase of President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan and introduce new demands, the Israeli premier has dispatched former Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer to Washington to contain the dispute and persuade US officials of Israel’s position. Haaretz reported Thursday, citing two sources familiar with the matter, that Dermer met with US administration officials in recent days. One source said his mission was to “resolve the crisis” with Washington, which erupted after Israel raised last-minute objections to an agreement reached by the mediators and the Board of Peace with Hamas on implementing the second phase of the US plan for Gaza. The dispute arose after Israel submitted reservations only after the agreement had been finalized, despite having been aware for months of the proposal presented to Hamas. According to Haaretz, Israel’s objections focus on three main points. The first concerns a clause stipulating that weapons collected from Hamas would be stored inside Gaza rather than destroyed. The second relates to Israel’s opposition to Türkiye and Qatar participating in the monitoring and verification mechanism overseeing implementation of the plan. The third objection concerns a provision that would bar Israel from conducting military operations in areas transferred to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza and the International Stabilization Force. Under the reported wording, the Israeli military would not be authorized to carry out attacks in territories administered by those two bodies. Far-right pressure On the eve of Netanyahu’s trip to the United States late last month, Israel’s security cabinet approved the deployment of the International Stabilization Force in Gaza on a limited trial basis in the Rafah area. However, three informed sources told Haaretz it remains unclear whether Israel has signed a legal agreement with the Board of Peace defining the force’s status and authorizing its deployment, including its powers, immunities, and legal framework. Israeli officials argue that their objections stem from changes made to the understandings on those three points. Political sources, however, say Netanyahu’s reversal is driven by partisan and electoral considerations that dominate his decision-making. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Settlements Minister Orit Strook, both from the far right, launched a broad media campaign against the agreement, arguing that the version presented to Israel and approved by the security cabinet differed from the one now under discussion. Opposition leaders and Hebrew-language media also criticized Netanyahu, portraying him as powerless before Trump. Most commentators argued that Netanyahu no longer projects the image of a strong leader capable of making independent decisions, and that such a figure is no longer suited to serve as prime minister. ‘Charged’ atmosphere Dermer is well known for his strong ties in Washington, a factor believed to have prompted Netanyahu to send him to convince US officials to accept Israel’s new demands, or at least postpone implementation of the agreement by two months—until after Israel’s Oct. 27 elections. According to one source, Israel’s unexpected objections after the agreement was announced angered the Trump administration, which questioned why Israeli concerns had not been raised during earlier stages of negotiations, when Israel had been involved through US-Israeli consultations. US officials rejected Israel’s explanations, insisting that Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders had been fully aware of the agreement’s terms before Trump and the Board of Peace announced the deal. When Netanyahu argued that Israel had not seen all the amendments introduced during negotiations in Egypt, US officials rejected the claim, saying an Israeli delegation had visited Egypt’s El Alamein during the final stage of the talks before the agreement was announced. Israeli political sources said Thursday that Dermer faces a difficult mission as he attempts to reconcile Netanyahu’s instructions with the US position. They said the tensions extend beyond Gaza, as Trump is determined to see the Gaza initiative succeed and has grown increasingly impatient with Israeli delays. According to the sources, citing Channel 12 correspondent Barak Ravid, who maintains close ties with Trump, the mood in Washington toward Netanyahu has become increasingly strained because of his shifting positions and inability to rein in his far-right ministers.
