Baghdad, Iraq- Arab foreign ministers met behind closed doors in Cairo on Monday ahead of an extraordinary Arab League summitto discuss a plan countering former U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal to take over Gaza and expel its residents.
According to an Arab League source speaking to AFP, the meeting focused on an Arab-led plan to rebuild Gazawithout displacing its 2.4 million residents. The source added that the plan would be presented to Arab leaders for approval at Tuesday’s summit.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty held separate discussions with Arab counterparts, including officials from Jordan, Bahrain, Tunisia, Iraq, Yemen, and Palestine. He emphasized the need to support early recovery projects in Gaza while ensuring Palestinians remain in their homeland, according to a statement from Egypt’s Foreign Ministry.
Trump sparked global backlash when he suggested that the United States “take over” Gaza and transform it into the “Riviera of the Middle East”, while forcing Palestinians to relocate to Egypt and Jordan.
Arab nations have united against the proposal, with Saudi Arabia hosting a consultative meeting last month to coordinate efforts in support of the Palestinian cause.
At a press conference on Sunday, Abdelatty announced that the Gaza reconstruction plan was finalized and would be presented to Arab leaders for approval in Cairo.
Trump recently appeared to soften his stance on the controversial proposal, saying: “I think that’s a plan that really works, but I’m not forcing it. I’m just gonna sit back and recommend it.”
