In a clear and calculated message just before his White House summit, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu used an interview on Fox News to publicly reiterate his absolute rejection of any future role for the Palestinian Authority (PA) in Gaza. This statement was a direct pre-emptive strike against a central pillar of the U.S. peace plan he is about to discuss with President Donald Trump.
Speaking on “The Sunday Briefing,” Netanyahu expressed his deep-seated skepticism about the PA’s capacity for reform. He stated that it is highly unlikely the PA will “change completely and accept a Jewish state,” effectively declaring the Ramallah-based government an unsuitable partner for peace from Israel’s perspective.
The choice of venue—a major American news network popular with conservatives and supporters of President Trump—was no accident. Netanyahu was speaking directly to the American public and to the White House, making his red line clear before the negotiations even began. It was a public negotiating tactic designed to box Trump in and lower expectations for a comprehensive agreement.
This public declaration puts President Trump in a difficult position. The U.S. plan, developed with Arab partners, is predicated on the idea that a reformed PA is the only legitimate long-term governing body for Gaza. Netanyahu has now publicly thrown cold water on that entire concept.
The Fox News interview ensures that the summit on Monday will begin with a major, publicly-declared disagreement. It transforms the meeting from a discussion into a confrontation over a fundamental issue: who will govern Gaza after the war? Netanyahu has drawn his line in the sand, and the world will now watch to see if Trump can force him to cross it.