August 9, 2026
Source: https://www.gov.il/en/pages/spoke-start090826
Introduction
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the Trump Board of Peace’s Gaza roadmap at his weekly Cabinet meeting August 9, 2026. In the process, he eliminated any strategic ambiguity Israel had preserved by relying on anonymous statements in response to the July plan to advance the ceasefire with Hamas. He also made clear that in the run-up to the Knesset election October 27, domestic politics and his security-themed campaign to remain prime minister take precedence over relations with the United States and a lame-duck president. His statement came amid polls favoring parties that would oust Netanyahu.
Netanyahu rejected the roadmap even after meeting with the Board of Peace’s high commissioner for Gaza, Nickolay Mladenov, six days earlier and winning clarification that the Israel Defense Forces would not be expected to begin withdrawing from the roughly 70% of Gaza the IDF now controls until after Hamas and other Palestinian militants surrender all arms in the Strip. Hamas had argued that its agreement to the roadmap called for synchronized, phased disarmament and withdrawal. Distinctly, Hamas has defined phased disarmament as a step-by-step transfer of heavy weapons and infrastructure to an intermediate body rather than unconditional surrender of arms to Israel. Neither Hamas nor its patrons, Qatar, Turkey and Iran, can be seen as capitulating to Israel or to the U.S., let alone giving up influence or presence in the Gaza Strip.
Even while repeating his oft-stated claim that President Donald Trump is Israel’s best friend ever in the White House, the prime minister adopted the adage that “all politics is local,” closely associated with Tip O’Neill, the former Democratic speaker of the House. Netanyahu still believes he is the best person to manage the crucial U.S. relationship, but with a parliamentary election October 27, he cannot seem to Israeli voters to relent on any aspect of Gaza because he already carries the burden of being the head of Israel’s government on October 7. According to Israel Democracy Institute polling, 72% to 87% of Israelis believe that Netanyahu must take personal responsibility for the security lapses that day.
Yielding even one centimeter to Hamas in Gaza would be political suicide, discounting multiple other domestic controversies hanging over his head. Thus, 17 years after he offered a path to Palestinian statehood, he declared that as long as he is prime minister, the Palestinians will never have a state in Gaza (“Hamastan”) or the West Bank (“Fatahstan”). Despite October 7, Netanyahu’s message to Israelis, as in all past elections, is that he is the sole person who can protect Israel’s security. Facing a formidable political adversary in former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot puts him in deeper bind.
He also highlighted ongoing military efforts against Iran’s nuclear program and against Hezbollah in Lebanon. He notably did not mention efforts to make peace with Lebanon or to work with the Lebanese army to remove the threat of Hezbollah, and he indicated that Israel would stop Iran’s nuclear program regardless of any U.S. deal with the Islamic Republic. Would he pull the trigger on some direct or indirect conflict in October either to force the election to be postponed or to channel support to him and his Likud party?
— Ken Stein and Michael Jacobs, August 9, 2026
“Israel Does Not Accept the 15-Point Document”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made the following statement at the start of the Cabinet meeting August 9, 2026:
You have surely noticed an interesting point: Iran attacks all the countries in the region, and even outside the region, but there is one country it does not attack: the State of Israel. It has not attacked thus far. It might attack, but why have long weeks passed, and it has not attacked us? Because it knows the massive blow we will inflict upon it if it does so.
I am saying this because lately, over the past two days, we have been flooded with a wave of rumors about Israeli weakness and Israeli withdrawals on all fronts. The most amusing thing is that these attacks come from people who preached withdrawing from the entire Gaza Strip, not entering Lebanon at all and not striking Iran. Therefore, I ask to go over the fronts with you briefly, one by one.
First of all, Iran. I greatly appreciate President Trump. He is the greatest of our friends in the White House. I greatly appreciate the historical partnership with the U.S. against Iran’s attempts to acquire nuclear weapons. And I wish to emphasize once again: With or without an agreement, as long as I am prime minister, Iran will not have a nuclear weapon. Because the existence of our precious country, the country of all of us, the existence of Israel, is not up for negotiation.
Regarding Lebanon: In Lebanon, too, we hear all sorts of rumors. I wish to clarify: In recent days, Israel has acted with force in Lebanon, eliminating terrorists, including on the Ali Taher ridge. I cannot elaborate on this. We are in the midst of a very important operation. We are working prudently and wisely — with both determination and wisdom, alongside the Israel Defense Forces — and eliminating threats.
As for the Gaza Strip, first and foremost, I wish to clarify the main point: As long as I am prime minister, a Palestinian state will not be established, neither in Gaza nor in Judea and Samaria. Neither “Fatahstan” nor “Hamastan.”
Regarding specific matters surfacing in the news lately, I wish to be precise here: Israel does not accept the 15-point document.
I have heard people saying, “You didn’t say it.” So here I am saying it again: Israel does not accept the 15-point document. The IDF will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is disarmed. And when I say the disarming of Hamas, it means heavy weaponry, lighter weaponry, all weaponry. And we are talking about genuine disarmament, not fictitious disarmament.
Right now we are talking with the Americans about this issue. They have ideas, some of which are acceptable to us and some of which are unacceptable, and we know how to stand firm against these things. We have proved this in the past, and we are proving it today as well. Furthermore, the IDF will continue to thwart threats against our forces and our citizens.
The existence of Israel and the security of all Israeli citizens are not up for negotiation. We stand firm on these interests. We do not do this in advertising agencies; we actually do it on the ground. We proved this all over and over — when we entered Rafah and the Philadelphi Corridor, when we entered Lebanon and eliminated Nasrallah and the rocket stockpile there, and when we struck Iran twice. Unlike all those who lecture us, we do what needs to be done for Israel’s security, and we can and know how to stand our ground, even against our best friends when necessary.
