Benjamin Netanyahu announced his plan on Friday for postwar Gaza, revealing that Israel would maintain indefinite military control and create “buffer zones” in the territory. The Israeli prime minister is planning a military occupation, dressed up under a vague civilian administration made up of Palestinians who would be willing to collaborate, once Israel ends its devastating assault on Gaza. Netanyahu’s plan is slap in the face to Joe Biden, who has insisted for months that the US won’t accept an Israeli military occupation or attempts to seize parts of the Gaza Strip.
Since Biden announced his unconditional support for Israel after the brutal Hamas attacks on 7 October – embracing Netanyahu in a bear hug during a visit to Tel Aviv – Netanyahu has openly defied Israel’s most important ally and paid no price for it. Each week, Biden and his top aides vent at Netanyahu and his handling of the conflict, but they continue to provide US diplomatic cover and weapons shipments that allow Israel to sustain its war.
