Israel Rebuffs Calls for Palestinian Authority to Rule Gaza

Israel is diverging from the U.S. and Arab world on a postwar solution for Gaza, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ruled out a role for the Palestinian Authority, which Washington and some Arab leaders prefer to take over from Hamas.

Netanyahu, under pressure from his right-wing political base, said Saturday Israel wants a solution other than the Palestinian Authority, led by President Mahmoud Abbas. The Israeli leader didn’t put forward an alternative, saying only that Israel wants to avoid governing Gaza and needs to maintain security control over the strip after it defeats Hamas, which Netanyahu has sworn to do.