Palestine Liberation Organization: Israeli Scenarios "Will Only Lead to Failure"

The Secretary-General of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, Hussein Sheikh, confirmed on Saturday that "the future of the Gaza Strip is determined by the Palestinian people, not Israel." This statement comes following discussions within Israel regarding plans for Gaza after the fighting concludes. In response to these post-war plans for Gaza, Sheikh stated: "All the scenarios proposed by the politicians and leaders of the occupation will lead only to failure. Achieving a comprehensive solution and the departure of the occupation is our choice, our program, and our strategy." As the main component of the Palestinian Authority, the Palestine Liberation Organization partially governs the West Bank, while Hamas expelled it from Gaza in 2007. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant summarized the plans for what may follow the war in a three-page document titled "The Day After." According to the document, the Israeli military will maintain "operational freedom of action in the Gaza Strip" after the war, and Israel will continue "to conduct inspections of goods entering" the territory.