Netanyahu Plays the "Reform" Card to Stave Off Early Elections

MAR-A-LAGO — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is turning today’s Mar-a-Lago summit into a firewall for his coalition. By strictly interpreting U.S. President Donald Trump’s demands for "real reforms" within the Palestinian Authority (PA), Netanyahu is executing a delay tactic designed to prevent the transfer of Gaza’s governance—a move that would otherwise trigger the collapse of his government and force early elections.

The Prime Minister’s diplomatic posture is dictated by his domestic precariousness. Far-right coalition partners have issued an ultimatum: allow the PA a foothold in Gaza, and the government falls. Such a collapse would dissolve the Knesset well before its scheduled October 2026 term, immediately resolving the question of Netanyahu's tenure in a volatile election cycle.

Netanyahu’s strategy leverages the "20-point peace plan" against its authors. While the Trump administration recently hailed PA President Mahmoud Abbas’s decree on prisoner payments as a "big win," Netanyahu contends these measures are cosmetic. By insisting the PA has failed the U.S. threshold for "real reforms"—specifically regarding "pay-for-slay" stipends and educational incitement—he creates the diplomatic cover necessary to freeze the power transfer.

The outcome at Mar-a-Lago serves as a primary indicator for the longevity of the current Israeli government. If Trump validates Netanyahu’s assessment that the PA is unfit for the proposed "technocratic committee," the immediate threat to the coalition recedes. However, if the President pressures Israel to accept the PA’s current standing for "Phase 2" implementation, Netanyahu faces a fatal binary: defy his primary ally or face an immediate coalition collapse and a return to the ballot box.