Gulf Arab leaders on Friday with counterparts in Egypt and Jordan to counter President Trump’s controversial proposal to redevelop Gaza under US control and expel Palestinian residents. It is expected to develop a strategy.
The conference in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, is preparing for the wider Arab League summit to be held in Egypt on March 4th.
Last month, Trump’s proposal that the US ruled Gaza and could develop it into a “Middle Eastern Riviera” and relocate Palestinian residents to neighbouring countries such as Egypt and Jordan, has shocked the Arab world. I met my anger. . His aides then reconstructed it as a challenge to Middle Eastern leaders in order to come up with better alternatives.
“All these countries say how much they care about Palestinians,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said last week. “If Arab countries have better plans, that’s great.”
Now the Arab government is in a hurry to discuss exactly that.
Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates have worked together to build alternative ideas for Gaza to help Arab countries finance and oversee reconstruction. The Palestinian state explained the efforts, according to diplomats and officials.
The day after Gaza, there were a lot of bold plans, but none actually got traction. The latest is from the massive Karaf al-Habtoor of Emirati’s real estate, which provided an ambitious blueprint aimed at rebuilding the enclave in “years, not decades.” It’s here.
However, an important fixation remains the issue of postwar governance in Gaza.
The proposed Egyptian plan could include the formation of a committee of Palestinian technocrats and community leaders.
However, Israeli leaders say they are opposed to postwar plans that pave the way for Palestinian sovereignty. Arab leaders have argued that they are only supporting proposals that at least nominally forget the path to a Palestinian state.
Because of the Arab strategy on Gaza’s governance, Arab leaders want the blessing of Palestinian authority, the internationally recognized body that controlled Gaza until Hamas took control of its territory nearly 20 years ago. It was there.
However, the authorities’ president, Mahmoud Abbas, appeared to be on guard against plans that lacked full control over Gaza.
Hamas officials are willing to hand over civilian issues to other powers, but have previously refused to say they would disband the military wing, an unacceptable position for both Israel and Trump.
All six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council will be attending a meeting held in Riyadh on Friday, along with Egyptian President Abdel Fatta El-Sisi. Egyptian leaders were expected in Riyadh on Thursday for preliminary discussions with Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday before his departure to Saudi Arabia, Elssi reinforced the idea that Egyptian proposals “do not involve forced evacuation” for Palestinians.
The Arab plan will focus on the ideas that Palestinians have in Gaza and counter Trump’s calls for Egypt and Jordan to take them. Many people in the Arab world will view the forced ouster of Palestinians from Gaza as a confession of ethnic cleansing, war crimes and death for a future Palestinian state.
Some countries, like Jordan and Egypt, may be concerned that an increase in Palestinian migration could cause economic and political turmoil in their homes.
At a Saudi Arabia-sponsored investment forum in Miami on Thursday, Steve Witkov, Trump’s envoy to the Middle East, said Gaza’s presidential plan was not to drive out Palestinians, but rather shook the current thinking and improve Palestinian outlook. He said it was something to do. people.
“He created this debate throughout the Arab world,” Witkov said. “I have a different kind of solution than before he talked about this.”
Gaza’s plans need to consider the need to prevent future attacks on Israel. There are also questions about who will pay for the reconstruction and whether Arab countries will send forces to stabilize Gaza.
Egyptian Prime Minister said on Wednesday that he is working on a comprehensive plan to rebuild Gaza, which is expected to restore the enclave within three years, Egypt’s state-run Prime Minister said on Wednesday, according to Egypt’s state-run Prime Minister. According to the news Ahram, exit.
Riyadh has played an important diplomatic role this week, hosting us, Russian and Arab officials for high-stakes talks on the war in both Ukraine and Gaza.
Vivian Yee contributed to the report from Cairo, Egypt.
