Netanyahu publicly rejects Trump's Gaza peace plan — but quietly complies

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly rejected US President Donald Trump's 15-point Gaza peace plan while privately accommodating some of Washington's demands — a "political tightrope act," analysts say. With a general election set for October, Netanyahu must placate a right-wing base that wants an uncompromising stance against Hamas while avoiding a direct confrontation with his most powerful ally. The result, observers say, is a leader who voices hardline positions in public while quietly accepting American demands behind the scenes.

The New York Times and the BBC reported Monday that Netanyahu's public statements and actual conduct have diverged sharply, and that his recent rejection of Trump's peace plan likely does not signal a final break between the two leaders.

At a cabinet meeting Monday, Netanyahu declared that "Israel does not accept the 15-point document" and that the Israel Defense Forces would not withdraw until Hamas was fully disarmed. He defined full disarmament as encompassing "all weapons, including heavy and light arms" — making clear he would accept nothing short of complete demilitarization.

Behind the scenes, however, Israel has been quietly accommodating some of Washington's requests.

According to The New York Times, Netanyahu agreed Aug. 3 to order the military to halt airstrikes in Gaza after meeting with Nikolai Mladenov, the senior envoy for Gaza, and other members of the Board of Peace. Three officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity citing the sensitivity of the matter, confirmed the account.

A Gaza civil defense official said the last Israeli airstrike took place on the evening of Aug. 3. Israel had continued striking Gaza after Trump announced a disarmament agreement with Hamas last month, killing at least 20 people — but the attacks have in effect stopped following US pressure.

The BBC also reported that the White House appeared largely unbothered by Netanyahu's public rejection. Israeli journalist Barak Ravid, citing a senior US official, said: "We understand Bibi's political needs. As long as he continues to do what we ask — particularly in refraining from attacking Gaza — there is no problem."

There are also signs that Israel is moving ahead with preparations to implement Trump's vision. According to Israeli public broadcaster Kan News, construction of the first base for an International Stabilization Force (ISF) is set to begin in Rafah, in southern Gaza, later this month. The ISF — a multinational force paired with a new Palestinian police service — is a central pillar of Trump's peace plan for restoring security in Gaza.

The plan Trump announced last month calls for Hamas to destroy or store its heavy weapons, with Israeli forces withdrawing in stages from more than 60 percent of Gaza as that process is verified. For Netanyahu, however, accepting that scenario on its face carries serious political risks.

The general election on Oct. 27 will be the first nationwide vote since Hamas's surprise attack on Oct. 7, 2023, which killed about 1,200 people and saw more than 250 taken hostage. A significant portion of the Israeli public holds Netanyahu responsible for the security failures that allowed the attack.

Compounding his difficulties is the fact that Netanyahu has yet to achieve the "total victory" over Hamas he promised throughout the war. Hamas has maintained a presence in parts of Gaza despite nearly three years of fighting, and distrust of Netanyahu — particularly among hardliners — has grown louder.

Polling also reflects an unfavorable political landscape for Netanyahu. Multiple surveys project that Netanyahu and his coalition allies would win only 51 to 53 seats in the 120-seat Knesset — well short of the 61 typically needed to form a government.

Some polls show a new party founded by a former IDF chief of staff running ahead of Netanyahu's Likud.

"Netanyahu is walking a political tightrope," said Shira Efron, Israel policy director at the RAND Corporation. "On one side, he has to satisfy his base and coalition partners who were promised total victory over Hamas. On the other, he doesn't want to antagonize President Trump."

In practice, Trump's peace plan falls short of the victory conditions Netanyahu has touted throughout the war. The agreement contains no provision for expelling Hamas's senior military commanders, and it leaves open the possibility that some members of Hamas's administrative apparatus could continue working in the public sector.

If images of Israeli forces withdrawing from Gaza become public, it will be even harder for Netanyahu to claim to his right-wing base that Israel won the war.

"This is not the kind of victory Netanyahu has been selling throughout the war," said Nimrod Novik, a fellow at the Israel Policy Forum. "He appears to be striking a tough pose internally while taking small steps to accommodate the demands of the US administration in practice."