Yair Lapid, Israel’s opposition leader, praised President Donald Trump’s controversial plan for Gaza at an AIPAC summit on Monday, while saying that Arab states should manage the territory and work toward an ultimate political settlement between Israel and the Palestinians.

Lapid said he wants to see Israel’s military gains “turn … into lasting diplomatic achievements,” through a normalization agreement with Saudi Arabia, which he said should lead to an Arab coalition taking over Gaza and standing with Israel against Iran, as well as working toward a “separation between Israel and the Palestinians.”

He suggested he sees that vision as compatible with Trump’s calls for the U.S. to “take over” and redevelop Gaza and relocate its Palestinian population, a plan which Lapid praised as hopeful and forward-looking.

“The day after President Trump announced his plan for Gaza, I spoke with the leader of one of the Gulf states. I asked him, ‘So what did you think?’ And he said, ‘I was excited,’” Lapid continued.

Lapid described Trump’s remarks as an “optimistic vision” for “peace and prosperity and [opportunity].”

He also insisted that Israel push forward with its cease-fire agreement with Hamas to free the remaining hostages, a deal that has appeared to waver in recent days, saying that “there is no greater mission, no higher purpose” than to bring all of the hostages home, including by proceeding to the “second stage of the deal without stopping.” 

Lapid conveyed a message of Israeli strength in the speech, celebrating Israel’s military accomplishments in the past year including decimating Hamas and Hezbollah and killing their leaders, destroying Iran’s air defenses and contributing to the fall of the Syrian regime.

“If the Iranian regime believes that it can continue to develop its nuclear program and Israel will stand by, they are making the biggest mistake of their lives,” Lapid said. “We have the means to stop them. We have the will to stop them. We will stop them.”

He vowed that, standing together, the Jewish people could defeat all of the enemies and adversity facing them.

Lapid added that, even if some supporters of Israel “don’t always find it easy with elements in the current Israeli government,” they should keep in mind that “governments come and go … you love the people of Israel, you love the State of Israel.”

“We love you back, every single one of you. Orthodox or Reform, conservative or liberal, Republican or Democrat, we are all brothers and sisters,” he continued.