Jerusalem (CNN) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended US President Donald Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan to skeptics in his hardline cabinet Tuesday evening, telling ministers that coordination with Washington “is closer than you think,” according to two Israeli officials who participated in the meeting and another official briefed on its contents.

“There is a very big opportunity here,” Netanyahu is said to have told the cabinet.

Netanyahu said in Washington this week that Israel supported the plan, but the Israeli cabinet hasn’t formally voted to accept the proposal and has yet to schedule the vote.

The Israeli leader arrived at the cabinet meeting directly after returning to the country from the United States amid harsh criticism from his right-wing political pa

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