U.S. President Donald Trump leaves after addressing a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC. AFP
The Extraordinary Arab Summit held in Cairo on Tuesday reasserted a united Arab position, rejecting any displacement of the Palestinian people, whether from Gaza or the West Bank.
Arab leaders also adopted Egypt's Gaza reconstruction plan and called for an international conference to recognize Palestine's statehood.
The Egyptian five-year plan is estimated to cost around $53 billion.
Ahram Online obtained a draft of the Egyptian plan for Gaza, which aims to facilitate early recovery and long-term reconstruction efforts led by the Palestinians.
This plan focuses on restoring essential infrastructure, addressing humanitarian needs, and ensuring sustainable development.
It also includes social protection programmes for the Palestinians and addresses critical issues related to security and governance in Gaza.
“The current proposal does not address the reality that Gaza is currently uninhabitable and residents cannot humanely live in a territory covered in debris and unexploded ordnance,” National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes said in a statement Tuesday night.
“President Trump stands by his vision to rebuild Gaza free from Hamas. We look forward to further talks to bring peace and prosperity to the region,” he added.
Jordanian officials told CNN earlier that the plan will be presented to President Trump in the coming weeks.
Trump's proposal that the United States “takes over” Gaza and displace the Palestinians received Arab and global condemnation in February.
The UN and experts confirmed that Trump's bombshell proposal would be blatantly illegal under international law.
Moreover, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had told Trump to avoid ethnic cleansing in Gaza.
"In the search for solutions, we must not make the problem worse. It is vital to stay true to the bedrock of international law. It is essential to avoid any form of ethnic cleansing," Guterres said during a previous meeting of a UN committee on 5 February.
Advanced stage of Arab solidarity
Following the Cair Arab summit, Hamas welcomed Egypt's Gaza reconstruction plan and called for providing the means for its success.
In an official statement on its Telegram channel, the group asserted that the Cairo summit represented "an advanced stage of Arab and Islamic solidarity" in support of the Palestinian cause.
"We welcome the Gaza reconstruction plan adopted in the summit's final statement and call for ensuring all necessary resources for its success," Hamas said.
It also expressed "support for the formation of the Community Support Committee to oversee relief efforts, reconstruction, and governance in Gaza."
Furthermore, Hamas expressed appreciation for Egypt’s efforts in organizing an international conference dedicated to Gaza reconstruction.
During his speech at Tuesday's summit, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi announced that Cairo will host a Gaza reconstruction conference in April and establish a dedicated fund for reconstruction efforts.
Egypt’s reconstruction plan has officially become “the Arab plan” after receiving unanimous approval from all Arab states during the Extraordinary Arab Summit, Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit stated in a press conference on Tuesday following the summit.
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