Abdelrahman
In a surprising move last month, President Trump stirred the Arab world by proposing the expulsion of the Gaza population from the region. His advisors later recast this suggestion as a challenge to Middle Eastern leaders: either propose a more viable solution or adhere to our plan.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized this point, stating, “These nations express their concern for the Palestinians,” and added, “If the Arab nations can present a better alternative, that would be excellent.”
In response, several Arab governments are collaborating to develop an alternative strategy. Diplomats from Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates are discreetly working together to create a plan for Gaza’s reconstruction. This initiative aims to provide financial assistance and oversee reconstruction efforts while ensuring that the current residents remain in place and the establishment of a Palestinian state remains a possibility.
Envoys from these five nations are scheduled to discuss the proposal in greater detail this Friday in Saudi Arabia, followed by a larger summit on March 4 in Cairo. At these gatherings, it’s likely that Egypt will advocate for the formation of a committee comprising Palestinian technocrats and community leaders, who would operate independently of Hamas to manage Gaza post-conflict, according to insights from diplomats and officials aware of the discussions.
Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, who recently conferred with the foreign ministers of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan, highlighted the initiative’s purpose: “A significant focus will be to show Trump and others that we have a practical plan for reconstruction, and we are prepared to allocate the necessary resources.”
Van Hollen elaborated, explaining, “The perspective here is that since Trump is a real estate mogul who has spoken about redeveloping Gaza, these nations want to present a feasible strategy demonstrating that it’s possible to rebuild and ensure a future for two million Palestinians without displacing them.”
