Saudi Arabia is spearheading Arab efforts to develop a plan for Gaza’s future that can act as a counterweight to Trump’s proposal for a US takeover of Gaza that would see the forced displacement of Palestinians, Reuters reports, citing sources it says are in the know. Proposals — which will be discussed by countries including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates at a meeting in Riyadh ahead of a 27 February Arab Summit — could include a GCC-led reconstruction fund and a move to distance Hamas, the newswire reported.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is “taking the lead” in developing and presenting the Arab plan to Trump, the newswire said, citing an unnamed Jordanian official. By putting the Crown Prince at the forefront, the Arab bloc is looking to leverage the Saudi leadership’s strong relationship with the Trump administration, as well as its expanding business and political ties with Washington.

An Egyptian proposal is emerging as key to the Arab push for an alternative to Trump’s Gaza strategy, with the plan calling for a national Palestinian committee to govern Gaza without Hamas, international reconstruction efforts that don’t involve displacing Palestinians, and progress towards a two-state solution, Egyptian security sources told Reuters. The proposal also reportedly includes a buffer zone along Gaza’s border with Egypt, temporary living areas, and a potential Gulf-led reconstruction fund which may even be named the Trump Fund for Reconstruction. Jordan’s King Abdullah reportedly told Trump that the Arab proposal would be “cheaper and faster” than the American proposition, Reuters reported separately, citing unnamed European diplomatic sources.

Gaza’s governance and security are major sticking points: Although Hamas is open to transferring governance to a national committee, it demands influence over its composition and rejects the deployment of foreign forces without its consent. Meanwhile, Israel has rejected any role for Hamas or the Palestinian Authority in governing Gaza or providing security there, while Arab countries and the US want to avoid sending their own troops. GCC states, which have financed reconstruction efforts in Gaza before, are hesitant to do so once more without assurances that Israel will not destroy what they rebuild.

IN OTHER DIPLOMACY NEWS-

  • Saudi Arabia and Rwanda agreed to form a joint business council to boost economic ties. The Federation of Saudi Chambers and the Rwandan Private Sector Union Organization signed the agreement in Kigali, Rwanda on Thursday. (SPA)
Tags: