An Important Speech by the Israeli Foreign Minister on Changing Tel Aviv's Policy Towards Gaza

Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid stated in a speech on Sunday that the rounds of fighting in the Gaza Strip have led to a deterioration in the capabilities of the Israeli army and harmed its international image. In his remarks during a "Counter-Terrorism" conference, Lapid indicated that Tel Aviv's current plan is based on "economy for security." The Israeli diplomat noted that this formula is better than "reconstruction for disarmament." Lapid emphasized that "Tel Aviv must pursue a multi-year step in Gaza." He affirmed that the goal of this initiative is to create stability on both sides of the border, pointing out that this proposal does not involve negotiations with Hamas, as Israel will not provide rewards to an organization it describes as "terrorist" and that undermines the authority that works with them regularly. He added that the first phase of the plan is the humanitarian reconstruction of Gaza, in exchange for countering the growing strength of Hamas, clarifying that the Palestinian Authority will take over the economic and civil management of the Gaza Strip.