Although Israel has not publicly sounded open to such an arrangement, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's aides are looking into the possibility of governing Gaza after the war with several Arab nations and the US. The deal would normalize relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia, a goal of Netanyahu's, the New York Times reports. Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates would be included in the alliance. "It shows that despite the Israeli government's public posture, behind the scenes Israeli officials are thinking seriously about what a postwar Gaza would look like," said Thomas Nides, a former US ambassador to Israel who was consulted on the proposal.
The terms as of now call for Gazan leaders to keep order while rebuilding the territory and its education system. Gazans would vote in seven to 10 years on whether to be placed under a Palestinian administration that would govern Israeli-occupied West Bank as well as Gaza. Israel's military could operate in Gaza during this period, per the Times. Opposition appears likely to come from Israel's far right, which wants its settlements in Gaza restored, and Arab nations that want a clearer road toward establishing a Palestinian state. The proposal doesn't specify whether the alliance would equate to a sovereign Palestinian state.
Although Netanyahu doesn't favor a two-state solution, he likes the idea of his record including restoration of ties with Saudi Arabia. "He wants this legacy," said Nadav Shtrauchler, a former strategist for the prime minister. Another incentive is a major trade and defense deal the US is working on with Saudi Arabia, per CNN. In addition to US-Saudi agreements, the proposal includes normalization of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel and a commitment to a path to a Palestinian state. "All of them are linked together," State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said. "None go forward without the others." (A previous Netanyahu plan conflicted with US goals.)
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