On Tuesday, Arab leaders supported Egypt’s postwar plan for the Gaza Strip, which would keep its approximately 2 million Palestinians. This plan is in contrast to Trump’s strategy to depopulate the area and turn it into a beach resort.
The Egyptian plan constituted a broad rejection of Trump’s proposal, having been endorsed by Arab leaders and announced by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi; whether the United States or Israel would accept it remained uncertain. Benjamin Netanyahu’s office in Israel chose not to comment.
At the Cairo summit, heads of state from countries whose backing is vital to any postwar plan were present, including the foreign minister of Saudi Arabia, the emir of Qatar, and the vice president of the UAE. António Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, was also attending.
It “preserves the right of Palestinian people in rebuilding their nation and guarantees their existence on their land,” el-Sissi said at the summit.
According to Arab League chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit, the United Nations Security Council is urged to send a multinational peacekeeping mission to the occupied West Bank and Gaza in the summit’s concluding statement.
At a news conference, he said, “Peace is the Arabs’ strategic option.” He went on to say that the accord had rejected the transfer of Palestinians and had supported Egypt’s plan for reconstruction.
“The Egyptian plan creates a new political and security environment in Gaza,” he said.
Israel is on board with what it calls an alternative US proposal for the ceasefire and the release of hostages taken during Hamas’ attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Israel has stopped food, fuel, medicine, and other supplies from getting into Gaza to get Hamas to agree to the new proposal and has hinted at more consequences, which is making people worry about the potential return to fighting.
The halt in aid got many protests, with human rights groups pointing out that it goes against Israel’s responsibilities as an occupying power according to international law.
The new plan has Hamas releasing half its remaining hostages in return for a longer ceasefire and a commitment to talk about a lasting peace deal.
Egypt’s Plan
Egypt’s $53 billion plan envisions the reconstruction of Gaza by 2030 without the displacement of its population. The initial phase involves the commencement of the removal of unexploded ordnance and the clearing of over 50 million tons of rubble that has been left behind by Israel’s bombardment.
Egypt will organize an international conference in collaboration with the United Nations to facilitate Gaza’s reconstruction. Additionally, a trust fund will be established under the supervision of the World Bank to secure pledges for the early recovery and reconstruction plan.
According to a draft of the plan, Gaza’s population would be accommodated in hundreds of thousands of temporary housing units during the reconstruction process. Some of the rubble would be utilized as infill to expand the land on Gaza’s Mediterranean coast, while the remainder would be recycled.
In the years to come, the plan envisions a complete transformation of the strip, with the construction of “sustainable, green, and walkable” housing and urban areas, powered by renewable energy. It generates industrial zones and expansive park areas and renovates agricultural lands.
Additional requirements include the establishment of an airport, a commercial port, and a fishing port. In the 1990s, the Oslo peace accords stipulated the establishment of a commercial port and airport in Gaza; however, these initiatives were abandoned as the peace process unraveled.
Hamas would hand over authority to a temporary administration of political independents until a reformed Palestinian Authority assumed control, as per the plan. An opponent of Hamas and the head of the Western-backed authority, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, was present at the summit.
Israel isn’t considering the Palestinian Authority’s involvement in Gaza and, together with the U.S., is calling for Hamas to disarm. Hamas, not really on board with Israel being around, has mentioned it might hand over control in Gaza to other Palestinians, but they’re not ready to drop their weapons until there’s a Palestinian state set up.
