Netanyahu Says Israel, US Differ about Post-war Gaza Rule

 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends the weekly cabinet meeting at the Prime Minister's office in Jerusalem, Sunday, Dec. 10, 2023. (AP)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends the weekly cabinet meeting at the Prime Minister's office in Jerusalem, Sunday, Dec. 10, 2023. (AP)
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Netanyahu Says Israel, US Differ about Post-war Gaza Rule

 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends the weekly cabinet meeting at the Prime Minister's office in Jerusalem, Sunday, Dec. 10, 2023. (AP)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends the weekly cabinet meeting at the Prime Minister's office in Jerusalem, Sunday, Dec. 10, 2023. (AP)

Israel enjoys US support for its goals of destroying Hamas and recovering hostages held by the Palestinian militants, but the allies differ about what might follow the Gaza war, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday.

Reiterating his past refusal to countenance a return to Gaza rule of the Western-backed Palestinian Authority under President Mahmoud Abbas, Netanyahu said in a statement that Gaza "will be neither Hamas-stan nor 'Fatah-stan'". Fatah is Abbas's faction.

"I would like to clarify my position: I will not allow Israel to repeat the mistake of Oslo," Netanyahu said without clarifying which mistake he was referring to.

The 1993 Oslo Accords established limited Palestinian autonomy in the West Bank and Gaza.

On Tuesday, secretary general of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization Hussein Al-Sheikh responded to reports that the Israeli premier had compared the Oslo Accords to Hamas' massacre on Oct. 7 by saying both had caused a similar amount of Israeli deaths.

"Benjamin Netanyahu's statement equating the Oslo Accords with what happened on Oct. 7 confirms his war against all Palestinians," Al-Sheikh said.

"We say to Netanyahu that Oslo died under the treads of his tanks, sweeping through our cities, villages, and camps from Jenin to Rafah."



Israel Says It Arrests 4 Hezbollah Operatives in Southern Lebanon

 A general view of southern Lebanon, after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect, near Israel's border with Lebanon in northern Israel, November 27, 2024. (Reuters)
A general view of southern Lebanon, after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect, near Israel's border with Lebanon in northern Israel, November 27, 2024. (Reuters)
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Israel Says It Arrests 4 Hezbollah Operatives in Southern Lebanon

 A general view of southern Lebanon, after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect, near Israel's border with Lebanon in northern Israel, November 27, 2024. (Reuters)
A general view of southern Lebanon, after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect, near Israel's border with Lebanon in northern Israel, November 27, 2024. (Reuters)

Israel said its troops arrested on Wednesday four Hezbollah operatives, including a local commander, when they entered what it described as a restricted area in southern Lebanon.

The two sides entered into a ceasefire early Wednesday that appears to be holding, but Israel has said it will strike the group in response to any violations.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced the arrests in a statement. There was no immediate comment from Hezbollah.

The statement said Israeli troops have been ordered to prevent people from returning to villages near the border, where the forces are still deployed.

The ceasefire agreement gives Israel and Hezbollah fighters 60 days to withdraw from areas of southern Lebanon near the border. Thousands of Lebanese troops and UN peacekeepers will patrol the area, and an international committee will monitor compliance.