Ministers Urge Netanyahu to Reject Board of Peace Gaza Plan, Saying It Violates US–Israel Understandings

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Missions Minister Orit Strock have formally urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reject the Board of Peace’s (BoP) newly proposed Gaza reconstruction plan, arguing it contradicts understandings reached with the United States last month.

What the Board of Peace Proposed

Last week the BoP outlined a six-month Gaza recovery framework, accompanied by the proposed deployment of an International Stabilization Force (ISF). The package includes $2.45 billion to fund 66 programs focused on shelter, debris clearance, water, hospitals, schools, energy, roads and job creation, and it refers to measures described as weapons decommissioning.

Officials listen to presentations on the work of the Gaza Executive Board during the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace at the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace on February 19, 2026 in Washington, DC. (credit: SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images)

Ministers' Objections

In a letter to the prime minister, Smotrich and Strock said the BoP proposal is "completely contrary to the understandings that were reached between you and the US administration and the Board of Peace," noting this followed the publication of a 15‑point "road map" that Israel had already rejected. The ministers said those understandings required that any reconstruction, any entry of foreign forces (including the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza and the ISF), and any withdrawal of Israel Defense Forces (IDF) must wait until "the complete demilitarization of the entire Gaza Strip."

"Israel cannot remain silent," the ministers wrote, calling for a formal and unequivocal Israeli rejection of what they described as the 'regional stages method.'

Key Objections Listed by the Ministers

• Hamas Is Not Demilitarized: The ministers argued that Hamas continues to arm, train and conduct attacks, making immediate reconstruction infeasible.
• Authorized ISF Size: They reminded that the Israeli cabinet approved entry of only 200 ISF soldiers — "not 500, and certainly not 5,000" — and said that authorization was tied to a demilitarization role rather than merely supervising IDF activity.
• No Re-Armament of Forces: The ministers emphasized that Gaza must be "completely demilitarized of weapons," leaving no room for forces stationed there to acquire arms, especially under laws they described as hostile to Jews.
• Right To Deny Risky Reconstruction: They insisted Israel retains the right to block reconstruction that would threaten Israeli communities and called it "unthinkable" to fully rebuild all 365 square kilometers of Gaza if it would endanger residents nearby.

The ministers asked Netanyahu to "clarify in an unequivocal manner" that the contested aspects of the BoP statement are unacceptable to Israel and will not be implemented.

Photo caption: Officials listen to presentations on the work of the Gaza Executive Board during the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace at the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace on February 19, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (credit: SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images)