US Ambassador to Israel Jumi: "Discussing Long-Term Plans for the US and Gaza Strip"

Israel is discussing long-term plans for the Palestinian Gaza Strip after the war with the United States, Michael Herzog, Israel's ambassador to the U.S., said on the 12th (local time).

[Image source=Yonhap News]

In an interview with Fox News Sunday on the same day, Ambassador Herzog expressed the position that "Palestinians should govern themselves," while reiterating Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's opposition to placing the Gaza Strip under the control of the Palestinian Authority (PA) after the war.

He said, "We are not there to occupy or govern the Gaza Strip," adding, "We are there to eliminate Hamas's military threat to Israel, their ability to rebuild as they wish, and to continue airstrikes. That is our intention."

Regarding Israel's long-term plans for the Gaza Strip, Ambassador Herzog said, "We have postponed thinking about that and are starting conversations with the U.S. administration," and emphasized, "Our position is that Palestinians should govern themselves."

He stated, "We will have to see what the exact role of the PA will be, because everyone knows that with the current structure, the PA finds it difficult to govern Ramallah (the provisional administrative capital of the Palestinians in the West Bank)," and argued, "They will have to undergo reforms."

He added, "However, in the meantime, there will be Palestinians who should govern the Gaza Strip."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.