Egypt and its neighbors work on alternatives to Trump's Gaza plan, which will not replace Palestinians

Cairo – Optimists in the Arab world, President Trump could permanently end the war in the Gaza Strip and stabilize in the turbulent Middle East as he soared by his credit amid the current ceasefire as he Granted the share of the lion. But that hope has quickly disappeared since Mr. Trump. Suggested plan Force the entire population of Gaza and “take over” the deprived Palestinian territory to develop into a resort.

Mr. Trump explain About 2.3 million Palestinians should be moved to Egypt and Jordan, obviously in order to get investors to move in and “clean up the whole thing.”

The president's proposal caused a shock wave of chaos and anger, spreading across Israel and beyond.

“In Egypt, since the start of the crisis, we have been warning that what has happened is an attempt to make the Gaza Strip uninhabitable, Palestinian displacement,” Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sissi said a few days after Mr. Trump first proposed the plan: “I am clear that the Palestinian people are displaced from their position is Unfair. We cannot tolerate or be part of the unjust displacement of Palestinians. ”

Meeting with Mr. Trump in Washington earlier this month King Abdullah II of JordanWhen asked about the president's proposal, Egypt was developing alternative plans with other Arab countries.

“We will discuss in Saudi Arabia how to work with the president and the United States,” Abdullah told reporters. “Let's wait until the Egyptians can present it to [U.S.] President, don't surpass yourself. ”

On Friday, a meeting discussed other proposals about Gaza's future, which will be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. While Mr. Trump continues to insist that Egypt and Jordan will reside in Gaza Palestinians, his administration also says it remains open to other suggestions.

“Currently, the only one who stands up and says, 'I'm willing to help is Donald Trump,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in an interview last week. “All the others Leaders, they all have to strengthen. If they have a better idea, then it's time.”

Egyptian plan in Gaza takes shape

“Egypt is developing a comprehensive plan to restore Gaza, trying to restore Gaza,” Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman Tamim Khallaf told CBS News on Wednesday. “The plan will span several years,” said the company. The sequential phase of rubble and reconstruction will need to be eliminated.”

“This will ensure that the Palestinians in Gaza stay in their homeland,” Kharaf said.

Funding The daunting task of rebuilding Gaza Post-war will be an important part of any plan. As of January, the United Nations and the World Bank estimated that 72% of the territory's homes, 84% of its medical facilities and 92% of major roads had been damaged or completely destroyed, and since then, another bomb explosion has continued. moon.

Khallaf told CBS News that Egypt is holding talks with the United Nations Higher Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator in Gaza to jointly organize an international conference in Egypt for early rehabilitation and reconstruction in Gaza, which is crucial for providing emergency relief activities and ensure the necessary funds to see the plan to achieve and restore life in Gaza. ”

Plans for formally recognized Riyadh discussions are expected to be held at the Arab summit in Cairo on March 4. The program is expected to receive support from further afield. Many of Europe's U.S. allies have firmly rejected Mr. Trump's call for relocating Gaza's population, but there is no other option.

Speaking next to the Spanish Prime Minister after meeting in Madrid, El-Sissi said the leaders “emphasized the importance of the international community’s support and adoption of the reconstruction plan in the Gaza Strip, which does not involve forced displacement of Palestinians. People – again, without the displacement of the Palestinian people – from their land so precious and their ancestors' homelands they will never give up, which ensures immediate start of relief and early recovery operations.”

Egypt's efforts toward a post-war settlement in Gaza are acceptable to all parties as Hamas' terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 sparked conflict.

It is unclear how much support a unified Arab position is, even with wider international support, may be obtained from Mr. Trump or his close ally Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Without their support, it would be difficult to imagine any suggestions made.

“Generational recovery between Palestinians and Israelis is possible, but it is only possible to stand out when Palestinians live in their own independent state,” Kharaf told CBS News. “We look forward to working with the U.S. government to achieve this The long-awaited peace in the region.”