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A senior U.S. official acknowledged on late Saturday that the Trump administration did not inform Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before adding Türkiye and Qatar to the governing committee for Gaza reconstruction, signaling a significant departure from Israeli input on the territory's postwar management.
"We did not tell Netanyahu in advance about the composition of the governing committee. Gaza is now our show, not his," the senior U.S. official told Israeli media outlet Channel 12.
The official noted that Netanyahu did not expect Turkish and Qatari representatives on the committee.
The revelation comes as Netanyahu's office condemned the committee composition, saying it was not coordinated with Israel and contradicts Israeli policy. Netanyahu instructed Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar to address the matter with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
However, according to a source cited by the Israeli media outlet Haaretz, Netanyahu's office had coordinated with the committee's composition, and the prime minister is protesting for appearances' sake.
The senior U.S. official made clear the Trump administration's determination to manage Gaza reconstruction independently. "If he (Netanyahu) wants the Trump administration to handle Gaza, we will do it our way," the official stated.
The official added that Netanyahu should focus on Iran rather than Gaza. "It's better that Netanyahu focuses on Iran and lets us handle Gaza. He will do his politics, and we will continue advancing our plan," the official said.
When asked about potential conflicts with Netanyahu, the official dismissed concerns about disagreement. "We do not intend to argue with Netanyahu, and he cannot really stand against us. No one believed we would reach the point we have reached in Gaza, but we managed to do it," the official concluded.
Israel's Opposition Leader Yair Lapid criticized Netanyahu for allowing Turkish and Qatari involvement in Gaza management.
"For a year, I've been saying to the government: there is a solution in Gaza. Let Egypt manage it, with security coordination with us. If we don't go the Egyptian route, you will find Türkiye and Qatar managing Gaza. That's exactly what happened: Türkiye inside, Qatar inside," Lapid said.
Lapid argued that the committee threatens Israeli security. "Netanyahu allows Türkiye and Qatar to enter Gaza. This endangers Israeli security. Our brave fighters didn't fight for two years for this," he said.
Lapid proposed an alternative: "Egypt will manage Gaza in the coming fifteen years, dismantle Hamas's weapons, and work with American partners to strengthen the Israeli border."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened a meeting of his ruling coalition partners on Sunday to address his objections to the composition of a Gaza advisory panel announced by the White House, which includes Turkish and Qatari officials.
The White House announced this week the establishment of a "Gaza Executive Board," which would operate under a broader "Board of Peace" chaired by U.S. President Donald Trump as part of his 20-point plan to end the war in Gaza.
The executive board, described as having an advisory role, includes Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Qatari diplomat Ali Al-Thawadi, alongside other regional and international officials.
Late on Saturday, Netanyahu's office issued a formal objection to the board's composition.
"The announcement regarding the composition of the Gaza Executive Board, which is subordinate to the Board of Peace, was not coordinated with Israel and runs contrary to its policy," Netanyahu's office said.
"The Prime Minister has instructed the Foreign Affairs Minister to contact the US Secretary of State on this matter," the statement continued.
The office did not explain the reason for its objection, but Israel has previously objected strongly to any Turkish role in post-war Gaza, with relations between the two countries deteriorating sharply since the war began in October 2023.
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