The head of the Israeli opposition to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday floated his own proposal to resolve the thorny question of the future of the Gaza Strip, a plan that would have Egypt assume control over the territory for a decade or more once the war with Hamas has concluded, allowing Israel to finally “divorce” itself from the decimated and hostile Palestinian enclave.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid unveiled his “Egyptian Solution” on Tuesday at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies think tank in Washington. Mr. Lapid, who briefly served as prime minister before Mr. Netanyahu returned to power in 2022, offered it as a framework for maintaining security on Israel’s southern border while enabling the reconstruction of Gaza.
The proposal comes in the wake of a plan offered by President Trump that seeks to relocate the 2.2 million Palestinians living in Gaza to neighboring Arab lands and allowing the U.S. to rebuild and redevelop the coastal strip as a “Riviera of the Middle East,” a plan that has been welcomed by Mr. Netanyahu but roundly rejected by U.S. allies such as Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
“Down the road, 10 years from now, the best solution is for Israel to separate from the Palestinians in a way that contributes to Israel’s security,” Mr. Lapid argued.
Under his “Egyptian Solution,” Cairo would assume guardianship over the Gaza Strip for eight to 15 years once a lasting ceasefire in the Hamas-Israel war has been implemented. Mr. Lapid told the Washington audience that Egypt has historically close connections with Gaza, including a period of rule from 1948 to 1967.
The plan includes powerful financial and political incentives for Cairo to take on the guardianship of Gaza. Egypt’s foreign debt of $155 billion has brought the country to the brink of collapse. It would be paid off by the international community and wealthy regional allies such as Saudi Arabia.
“Egypt is a key strategic partner and a reliable ally for almost 50 years – a strong, moderate, pragmatic Sunni state [and] a crucial player in the region,” Mr. Lapid said.
The initial reaction from the White House appeared cool. National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes told Politico when asked about the proposal Tuesday that “President Trump stands by his current plan to rebuild Gaza and looks forward to discussing plans with our Israeli and Arab partners in the region.”
Some analysts predicted Egypt would never sign on to Mr. Lapid’s vision, but putting Cairo in charge of Gaza — even temporarily — is the best of a list of bad options for the international community, said Mariam Wahba, an FDD analyst who focuses on Egypt.
“For this plan to succeed, Cairo must commit to clear operational standards within Gaza and cooperate with Israel to uncover and dismantle any remaining tunnels,” Ms. Wahba said. “This is an opportunity for Egypt to assert itself as a problem-solver, domestically, regionally, and internationally.”
Mr. Netanyahu’s government has struggled to formulate any long-term plan for Gaza once the fighting has concluded, Mr. Lapid said. While he backed Israeli military operations after the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas, Mr. Lapid said the use of force is only a means to an end.
“We need to get to a point where Gaza stops being a security threat to Israel, and where it also stops being a hotbed of poverty, extremism and religious hatred,” he said.
Mr. Lapid argued his plan could work alongside Mr. Trump’s expressed desire for the reconstruction of Gaza and an end to the security threat posed to Israel. Israel wants to hand over control of the Gaza Strip to a group other than Hamas with the ability to maintain security.
“The U.S. and the international community will rebuild Gaza. But Gaza cannot be rebuilt without a competent body overseeing the effort,” Mr. Lapid said.
Cairo has an interest in the stability of Gaza because their leaders want to prevent a large population transfer to Egypt. Mr. Lapid said his plan doesn’t rule out a gradual integration of the Palestinian Authority into the management of Gaza.
“But that must be done in coordination with Israel and the United States, and with a constant focus on Israel’s security needs,” Mr. Lapid said.
The “Egyptian Solution” would address core concerns about Gaza from Mr. Trump and the international community, said Mark Dubowitz, FDD’s chief executive officer, at a time when the long-favored two-state solution giving the Palestinians their own country appears more distant than ever.
“The plan safeguards Israel’s southern border, removes Hamas from power, and provides Gaza with needed governance,” Mr. Dubowitz said. “Hamas’ brutality has shattered a long-held belief of mine and so many – there will be no two-state solution.”
Mr. Lapid said Israel cannot agree to Hamas militants remaining in power in Gaza, whether or not his ideas are adopted.
“The Palestinian Authority is neither willing nor able to manage Gaza in the near future,” he said. “Israeli occupation is neither desirable nor possible. A constant state of chaos is both a security threat and a humanitarian nightmare.”
Hamas officials on Tuesday said Israel’s delay in the release of about 600 Palestinian prisoners was a violation of the Gaza ceasefire agreement. They vowed that any talks on a second phase of the accord won’t happen until they are turned over to them.
Israel was supposed to release the prisoners last week after Hamas turned over another group of hostages they kidnapped during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack. Officials in Jerusalem said they paused the release because of the treatment of the hostages who were paraded in public by their captors before cheering crowds.
• Mike Glenn can be reached at mglenn@washingtontimes.com.