U.S. President Donald Trump has seemed to retract his proposal to relocate Palestinians from Gaza after facing rejection from Egypt and Jordan. Egyptian President Al-Sisi condemned the notion of displacement as unjust. Arab leaders met to discuss a unified response while Egypt explores plans for Gaza’s reconstruction without displacing its residents.
On Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump appeared to withdraw his proposal to relocate around two million Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to neighboring countries, aiming to transform the territory into a “Riviera of the Middle East.” Earlier in February, he had expressed support for displacing Gaza’s Palestinian population, dismissing objections from both Egypt and Jordan’s leadership. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi commented on the matter, stating that displacing Palestinians is an unjust act that Egypt cannot support or participate in.
Despite Trump’s previous assertions that he could persuade Egypt and Jordan to accept displaced Gazans, he acknowledged in a recent Fox News interview that their refusal made his plan impracticable. He noted, “We pay Jordan and Egypt billions of dollars every year. And I was a little surprised they’d say that, but they did.” While Trump continues to advocate for his approach, he indicated that he would not impose it, stating, “I’m just going to sit back and recommend it.”
On the same day, Arab leaders convened in Riyadh to discuss their unified stance regarding Trump’s proposal. The meeting involved representatives from Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and other Gulf nations and preceded a larger Arab summit scheduled for March 4th. Egypt’s foreign ministry indicated that an Islamic countries’ meeting would follow suit, revealing the ongoing efforts to establish a cohesive response among Arab states.
With the endorsement of Arab nations, Egypt is working on a strategy to reconstruct Gaza while ensuring the retention of its Palestinian population. This plan includes establishing “secure areas” within Gaza where residents can reside while international construction firms assist in rehabilitating the region’s infrastructure, thereby aiming to facilitate recovery without displacement.
In summary, President Trump has recalibrated his stance on relocating Palestinians from Gaza due to opposition from Egypt and Jordan. His efforts to persuade these neighboring countries have proven unsuccessful, leading to a recognition that such a plan is unfeasible. Concurrently, Arab leaders are formulating strategies to support Gaza’s rebuilding while safeguarding the Palestinian population from displacement.
Original Source: www.dailynewsegypt.com
