Arab Nations Support Alternative to Trump’s Peace Plan for Gaza After War
The Egyptian plan involves sheltering Gaza residents in mobile homes in safe locations within the Gaza Strip while the region is cleared and rebuilt.
Arab leaders have approved a $53 billion postwar plan for Gaza that allows residents to stay, in contrast to President Donald Trump’s proposal to relocate them for redevelopment into a “Riviera of the Middle East” resort area by the United States.
During a summit hosted by Egyptian President Abdel-Fatteh el-Sissi, Egypt presented a plan that Arab leaders agreed to on March 4. The plan involves Palestinians relocating to mobile homes in safe areas within Gaza while the cities are rebuilt.
As part of the plan, Hamas would transfer power to an interim administration of independent political figures until a reformed Palestinian Authority can take over. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was present at the summit.
The plan received endorsement from the heads of state and senior officials of the 22-member League of Arab States.
The United States and Israel quickly rejected the proposal.
The White House National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes stated that the Arab proposal does not address the current uninhabitable conditions in Gaza due to debris and unexploded ordnance, reinforcing President Trump’s vision to rebuild Gaza sans Hamas.
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Israel’s foreign ministry also opposed the plan, stating it failed to address the realities following the Oct. 7 attack initiated by Hamas.
Furthermore, Israel criticized the reliance on the Palestinian Authority and UNRWA, citing corruption and terrorism support in the past.
During a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Feb. 4, Trump proposed relocating Palestinians from Gaza to suitable and secure locations, which was rejected by Egypt and Jordan.
The three-phase plan outlined in a 91-page document includes clearing debris, reconstructing communities and infrastructure, and training a Palestinian police force for the return of the Palestinian Authority in Gaza, led by Egypt and Jordan.
The Palestinian Authority governed Gaza until Hamas took over in 2006, leading to the expulsion of many Palestinian Authority officials. Netanyahu has rejected the involvement of the Palestinian Authority in postwar Gaza.
Abbas welcomed the plan, offering amnesty to political opponents and promising elections within the next year. The plan’s financial requirements, estimated at over $53 billion, would need at least $20 billion commitment from Gulf and Arab states in the initial phase.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
