Daijiworld Media Network - Jerusalem
Jerusalem, Nov 18: Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Tuesday praised the UN Security Council’s adoption of a US-sponsored resolution supporting the creation of an International Stabilization Force in Gaza under US President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan, calling the move a “historic diplomatic achievement” that should guide the region toward “the day after.”
Speaking at a state memorial ceremony at Jerusalem’s Har Herzl military cemetery for soldiers killed in the 1956 Sinai Campaign, Herzog said:
“I welcome last night’s UN Security Council decision, which supports and backs President Trump’s plan. This is a historic diplomatic achievement — one that can and must lead us toward ‘the day after’ in Gaza and the entire region.”
Citing reporting from The Times of Israel, Herzog emphasized that the UNSC-backed step advances efforts to secure the return of all hostages, insisting that progress must continue with dismantling Hamas’s weaponry and removing the group from all governing authority.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also welcomed the UNSC’s endorsement of the stabilization force. He said Trump’s plan lays the foundation for peace and prosperity, anchored in the demilitarisation, disarmament, and deradicalisation of Gaza.
A statement from the Prime Minister’s Office expressed deep appreciation for Trump and his team, crediting both their diplomacy and the courage of Israeli soldiers for securing the return of all living hostages and most of the deceased.
The statement read:
“The United Nations Security Council fully endorses President Trump’s 20-Point Plan and the appointment of the Board of Peace to be led by President Trump. We believe the plan will lead to peace and prosperity because it insists upon the full demilitarization, disarmament, and deradicalization of Gaza.”
It added that the initiative is expected to accelerate regional integration, expand the Abraham Accords, and strengthen long-term ties with the United States.
Netanyahu said Israel expects to receive the remaining three deceased hostages from Gaza “without delay” and will begin implementing the process of disarming and demilitarizing the Strip to permanently end Hamas’s rule.
The PMO concluded with a regional call for cooperation:
“Israel extends its hand in peace and prosperity to all our neighbors and calls on them to normalize relations with Israel and join us in expelling Hamas and its supporters from the region.”