The Egyptian plan has become Arab … what next?

Arab News

07-03-2025

https://arab.news/yck65
The emergency Arab summit, held in Cairo on Tuesday, aimed to discuss ways to rebuild Gaza and address the ongoing repercussions of the war there. The summit witnessed a unified Arab stance against attempts to displace Palestinians, while emphasizing the two-state solution as the main path to achieving peace and stability in the region.
One of the most significant outcomes of the summit was the adoption of the Egyptian plan for the reconstruction of Gaza, a proposal that spans five years and has an estimated cost of $53 billion. The plan focuses on rebuilding infrastructure, providing housing solutions for displaced Palestinians within the territory, empowering the Palestinian Authority to govern and removing Hamas from power. Additionally, it includes the formation of a 'Gaza Administration Committee,' a nonpartisan body comprising 15 Palestinian technocrats to manage daily affairs during the first six months of recovery.
The plan is divided into three phases. The first phase involves clearing rubble and establishing temporary housing for approximately 1.5 million Palestinians. The second phase transitions to constructing new housing units, an airport, a seaport and economic and tourism projects. The final phase aims to pave the way for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state through direct negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis under international supervision.
The plan faces significant challenges, as US President Donald Trump's administration has expressed reservations about its security and political aspects, particularly concerning governance in Gaza and the future of Hamas.
Meanwhile, Trump is promoting an alternative plan that involves relocating Palestinians from Gaza and transforming the sector into a luxurious tourist destination — an idea that was strongly rejected by the Arab summit. US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff further fueled concerns by stating that Israel demands Hamas be excluded from any future governance and disarmed as a prerequisite for reconstruction, a condition Hamas considers a 'red line.'
Despite US and Israeli pressure, Arab nations have leverage they can use to support the Egyptian plan, including diplomatic relations with Israel and the normalization agreements signed in recent years. Analysts suggest that presenting a comprehensive vision that entices Washington — such as involving American companies in reconstruction projects and linking the plan to the normalization of Saudi-Israeli relations — could push Trump toward supporting the Arab initiative.
Despite US and Israeli pressure, Arab nations have leverage they can use to support the Egyptian plan.
Dr. Abdellatif El-Menawy
At the end of the summit, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi announced that Cairo would host an international conference on Gaza reconstruction in April to secure the necessary funding and coordinate contributions from donor countries. This conference is seen as a test of the Arab world's ability to rally international support for the reconstruction initiative. The key question remains: Can the Arab nations succeed in this endeavor?
The implementation of Egypt's Gaza reconstruction plan and the outcomes of the emergency summit largely depend on the position taken by the US administration—whether it chooses to support the plan or continues backing Israel's efforts to obstruct its execution, especially given the fragile ceasefire agreement, which remains at risk of collapse.
A joint Egyptian-Arab delegation is scheduled to visit Washington next week to meet with Trump administration officials, lawmakers in Congress and key decision-making centers to present the plan and persuade the US to support it. This visit will be followed by trips to European capitals.
Trump's stance has fluctuated between insisting that his plan to relocate Palestinians and develop luxury resorts in Gaza is the most viable and implementable solution and a softer message that he would not impose his ideas on anyone. Trump reinforced his position in a video created using artificial intelligence, which he shared on his Truth Social platform, reaffirming his vision of transforming Gaza into a high-end tourist destination.
While the summit was taking place in Cairo, the US State Department announced that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reaffirm the US' unwavering support for Israel as a top priority for the Trump administration. During the call, Rubio pledged to expedite the delivery of $4 billion in military aid to Israel. In return, Netanyahu expressed his gratitude for the cooperation of Witkoff in efforts to free hostages and extend the ceasefire in Gaza.
The US has concerns about disarming Hamas and minimizing its role, as the group remains the dominant force in Gaza.
Dr. Abdellatif El-Menawy
While the Trump administration is open to considering the Egyptian plan, it has many questions regarding governance in Gaza, postwar security management and the potential involvement of international peacekeeping forces in both Gaza and the West Bank. Additionally, the US has concerns about disarming Hamas and minimizing its role, as the group remains the dominant force in Gaza.
Arab nations worry about the continued US support for Israel, the uncertainty surrounding the durability of the ceasefire and Israeli actions in the West Bank, including the forced displacement of tens of thousands of Palestinians. These concerns are compounded by fears that Israel is exploiting the US' backing to advance its plan to annex the West Bank.
There is growing concern that Washington might support Israel's conditions that exclude both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority from any future governance in Gaza. Israel is also pushing for the extension of the ceasefire's initial phase, securing hostage releases without committing to withdrawing its forces from Gaza.
Last month, Witkoff stated in an interview with CBS News that one of Washington's firm stances on Gaza's future was the removal of Hamas from the territory. Egyptian officials acknowledge the difficulty of disarming Palestinian factions in Gaza, meaning they face challenges in persuading donors to fund reconstruction, given concerns that Israel might resume bombing the sector even after significant investments in rebuilding homes and infrastructure. The fragile nature of the ceasefire further amplifies these concerns.
However, if Trump perceives that endorsing the Arab plan could bolster his image as a peacemaker and potentially secure him a Nobel Peace Prize, he might be more inclined to support it. To succeed, Arab nations must win over American public opinion and pressure the Trump administration to push Israel toward maintaining the ceasefire and accepting a peace plan.
Some experts argue that the best hope lies in Trump losing patience with Netanyahu, who might jeopardize part of the US president's regional strategy and complicate efforts to secure hostage releases.
If Trump manages to broker a major diplomatic breakthrough — securing the release of hostages, ensuring peace in Gaza without Hamas and expanding the Abraham Accords to include more Arab and Muslim nations — he could claim a significant foreign policy victory.
The Arab summit firmly rejected Trump's proposal to relocate more than 2 million Palestinians to Egypt and Jordan while transforming Gaza into a 'Middle Eastern Riviera.' Instead, Cairo presented a phased reconstruction plan aimed at keeping Palestinians in Gaza, removing Hamas from governance and ultimately restoring PA control.
During the first phase of the Egyptian proposal, direct negotiations between Israel and Palestinian representatives would begin, addressing final-status issues such as territorial borders and the status of Jerusalem. The plan also includes Egypt and Jordan training a Palestinian police force to maintain security.
The Egyptian plan reaffirms the two-state solution, warning that any attempt to undermine Palestinian statehood will fuel further conflict and instability. However, Israel's hard-line stance against Hamas and right-wing opposition to a Palestinian state raise doubts about its commitment to peace talks.
*Dr. Abdellatif El-Menawy has covered conflicts worldwide. X: @ALMenawy