Gazan civilians should be ruled by international force, says Likud MK

‘The way we conducted the war in the beginning was very successful… and I think we should continue the same way.’

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

In an interview on Sunday with the Jerusalem Post, Likud MK and Israel’s former Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon said he supported a proposal to allow an international force consisting of moderate Arab countries to rule Gaza after the war.

Danon said Israel “must keep its own agenda and be able to move in and out whenever necessary,” and added allowing the international force to control civilian life in the region is essential for the success of normalization efforts with these countries.

Although he outlined a plan for the future of Gaza after the war, Danon emphasized taking the right steps in the present is crucial.

Danon said, “Before we talk about the day after, we must take care of today,” and he stressed the need for Israel to patrol the Rafah border, but in a way that Egypt will agree with.

He stressed that adding Israeli surveillance on the Rafah border between Gaza and Egypt should be done on the Gaza side to avoid violating the 1979 peace agreement between Israel and Egypt.

Danon said an international force including Israel should be present at the Rafah border to prevent weapons smuggling on the ground and in tunnels.

The Likud MK praised the progress of the war and was critical of the proposal to scale back military efforts in Gaza.

“The way we conducted the war in the beginning was very successful… and I think we should continue the same way,” he said.

He discussed the “amazing results” of the IDF’s efforts to harm Hamas and free hostages and said he believed that Israel should apply more pressure in efforts to release the remaining hostages.

Although he agreed with the policy of “voluntary emigration” of Palestinians from Gaza, he didn’t think it was necessary to encourage Israeli resettlement of Gaza and added that a three-kilometer buffer zone was enough to safeguard Israelis returning to live in southern towns.

Danon, as former Ambassador to the UN, condemned South Africa’s accusations of genocide which it argued in front of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at The Hague.

He denounced South Africa for “siding with Hamas” and praised Germany for coming to Israel’s defense.

“The days Jews are massacred and raped are over,” Danon said.