Pakistan, Aug. 5 -- On Monday, the US-led Board of Peace supplied the crucial clarification that Israel had sought after raising objections to the Gaza disarmament roadmap: Israeli forces will withdraw beyond the Yellow Line only after Hamas has completely surrendered its weapons, military infrastructure and tunnels. While this may calm a deeply sceptical Israeli cabinet, this reassurance significantly changes the balance of the proposed arrangement in Gaza.

The original arrangement had envisaged a phased process-an end to military operations, decommissioning of armed groups, Palestinian civilian administration, an international stabilisation force and Israeli withdrawal. However, the emphasis on Hamas' disarmament gives Israel, already ...