No Gaza relocation: Arab leaders present unified front

Arab leaders have endorsed an alternative to a widely condemned proposal by US President Donald Trump to assume control of the Gaza Strip and displace millions of Gazans, as officials and experts warned that Trump's plan, if enacted, would upend the Middle East.

Hosted by Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi, Tuesday's Emergency Arab summit in Cairo included the Emir of Qatar, King Abdullah II of Jordan, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain, vice-president of the United Arab Emirates, and foreign minister of Saudi Arabia — countries whose support is crucial for any post-conflict plan. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa also attended.

It came as the sense of urgency was heightened after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Sunday that he was halting all aid to Gaza.

The $53 billion reconstruction plan for Gaza is a 112-page document focusing on emergency relief, infrastructure restoration and long-term economic development. It projects that rebuilding the enclave would take five years and the first two-year phase would cost $20 billion.

Sisi said it would ensure Palestinians in Gaza "remain on their land", adding that the territory would be run by a committee of Palestinian technocrats.

"There will be no true peace without the establishment of the Palestinian state," he said. "It's time to adopt the launching of a serious and effective political path that leads to a permanent and lasting solution."

King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain and King Abdullah II of Jordan both expressed their rejections of the forcible transfer of Gazans and their support for Egypt's plan.

Guterres stressed the UN's readiness to back the plan, saying Gaza "must remain an integral part of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state, with no forced transfer of its population".

For his part, Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit said violence will not be stopped by displacing Palestinians, and reconstruction is viable while keeping Gazans on their land.

Gamal Bayoumi, Egypt's former senior diplomat, told Al Jazeera that the summit made the position of Arab leaders clear to Trump regarding his plan to dispel Palestinians.

"The summit today will send a big ‘no' to Trump's plan," he said. "We have never spared any effort or any money to help our Palestinian neighbors, because this is a national security issue for us. The Palestinians will never leave their land."

It was unclear if Israel or the US would accept the Egyptian plan.

Trump shocked the world when he first floated the proposal in February to take over Gaza. Palestinians, Arab states and even many European governments have rejected it, opposing any efforts to expel 2.4 million Gazans.

Arab leaders have spent past a few weeks consulting over an alternative to Trump's ambition for an exodus of Palestinians, which they fear would destabilize the region.

Under Egypt's plan, Hamas would cede power to an interim administration of political independents until a reformed Palestinian Authority can assume control.

Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas welcomed the idea, saying his administration could assume "its duties in the Gaza Strip through its governmental institutions". He urged Trump to support it.

Riccardo Fabiani, North Africa director at the International Crisis Group, a Brussels-based think tank, said the summit is "a key pillar in Egypt's strategy" to counter Trump's plan.

"Egypt is trying to present a credible alternative focused on reconstruction and an indirect consultation mechanism for Hamas that could reassure Israel and the US," he said. "The idea is also to continue to frame this plan as part of a new push toward the two-state solution."

But all bets are off if the Gaza conflict resumes, as Israel and Hamas find themselves at an impasse over the future of the cease-fire.

Hours before the summit opened on Tuesday, Israel's top diplomat Gideon Saar said it demanded the "total demilitarization of Gaza" and Hamas' removal in order to proceed to the second phase of the cease-fire deal.

Hamas leader Sami Abu Zuhri rejected the demand, saying "the resistance's weapons are a red line for Hamas and all resistance factions".

Israel's 15-month offensive killed more than 48,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.

Agencies and Xinhua contributed to this story.

Contact the writers at cuihaipei@chinadaily.com.cn.