Netanyahu reportedly rejects plan to train Fatah forces in Jordan for post-Hamas Gaza

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly turned down an American-backed proposal to train Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah forces in Jordan, with the aim of preparing them to govern a 'post-Hamas' Gaza Strip.

The proposal would entail Israel presiding over the training of between 4,000 and 7,000 carefully selected Fatah operatives with no prior affiliations to terrorist activities.

The plan envisions that once the operatives are thoroughly trained, they would assume responsibility for the Gaza Strip. The new unit would reportedly be headed by PA Intelligence Service Director Majed Faraj, who is a strong opponent of Hamas. In addition, U.S. General Michael Penzel, who currently coordinates security between Jerusalem and Ramallah, would oversee the training of the Palestinian operatives.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is opposed to the plan as he, along with other Israeli officials, does not trust Abbas' Fatah political faction, which governs the Palestinian Authority (PA).

“Gaza will be neither Hamastan nor Fatahstan,” Netanyahu vowed in December.  

“After the great sacrifice of our civilians and our soldiers, I will not allow the entry into Gaza of those who educate for terrorism, support terrorism and finance terrorism.”

The PA in Ramallah is considered to be more moderate than the Hamas terrorist organization but continues to incite terrorism against Israel on its official media channels, and offers financial incentives to terrorists who murder Israelis with its pay-for-slay policy.

However, it appears that some members of the Israeli defense establishment are in favor of the American-backed security plan. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant reportedly offered his opinion.

“Someone needs to take control in Gaza. And it won't be a Swede; it will be Fatah.”

“Maybe he wants security personnel to make aliyah from Switzerland to manage Gaza,” another, unnamed, Israeli official reportedly said.

While Israel is currently focusing on dismantling Hamas in Gaza, officials in Israel and abroad increasingly recognize the need to plan for ‘the day after’ war in the Gaza Strip.

Hamas has been seriously weakened during the war but remains a power player in Gaza. For example, Hamas operatives have been able to successfully disrupt and even steal the inflow of international humanitarian aid by force.

It was revealed in February that Netanyahu reportedly favors “local officials” in Gaza, with no links to either Hamas or Fatah, to manage the coastal enclave after the war. The Netanyahu plan, which is yet to be made public, notes that local officials must have “administrative experience” and not have any affiliations with “countries or entities that support terrorism.”

Netanyahu has also insisted that the Israeli military would have “indefinite freedom” to conduct counter-terrorism operations across the Strip, even after the war.

The Biden administration reacted with coolness towards Netanyahu’s post-war Gaza plan. While Washington has not rejected it, Washington insists that the PA should be involved in the post-war management of Gaza.

Acknowledging the problematic terrorism-affiliated Abbas-led government in Ramallah, Washington has called for a “revitalized Palestinian Authority” without elaborating on how it would be different from the current leadership.