The Arab League (AL) adopted a reconstruction plan in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's 'Gaza Initiative' at a special summit held on the 4th (local time) in Cairo, Egypt, according to reports by the Associated Press and Bloomberg News.
Host Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of Egypt, stated that the plan "will protect the right of the Palestinian people to rebuild their state and ensure they can live on their land," adding, "We will work with the Palestinian people to establish an independent committee to govern Gaza." He also announced that an international conference to discuss Gaza's reconstruction will be held in Egypt next month in cooperation with the United Nations.
According to a draft proposal from Egypt obtained by the Associated Press and Bloomberg, the reconstruction of Gaza is estimated to cost a total of $53.2 billion (approximately 77 trillion won) over five years. During the first six months, heavy machinery will be brought into Gaza to clear building debris, and temporary housing will be set up in seven areas to accommodate Gaza residents. Over the next two years, 200,000 housing units will be constructed, followed by an additional 200,000 housing units and an airport during the final two and a half years.
During the reconstruction period, a committee involving Arab countries will manage Gaza's regional issues before handing over control to the Palestinian Authority (PA). To secure funding, a trust fund supervised by the World Bank (WB) will be established.
In his speech, President El-Sisi said that Gaza's daily affairs will be managed by an independent committee composed of technical bureaucrats and non-partisan figures, which will pave the way for the PA to return to Gaza. Hamas was not mentioned.
Egypt initially included the deployment of UN peacekeepers in the draft but reportedly excluded it from the final version.
When President Trump announced plans to relocate Palestinian residents of Gaza to neighboring countries and have the U.S. take control of Gaza to develop it as a resort area, there was strong backlash from the Arab world. Especially Egypt and Jordan, which were mentioned as potential relocation countries, strongly opposed the plan. This reconstruction plan is the Arab countries' response to the U.S. Gaza initiative.
After the meeting, President El-Sisi stated that Arab countries have accepted Egypt's Gaza reconstruction proposal.
Mahmoud Abbas, head of the PA, expressed support for Egypt's proposal at the meeting. He said, "If conditions permit, we are ready to hold presidential and parliamentary elections," and added, "The PA is the only legitimate governing and military authority over Palestinian territory."
The Palestinian armed faction Hamas welcomed Egypt's proposal, including the formation of a post-war committee, and the elections mentioned by Abbas in a statement.
However, it is unclear whether the U.S. and Israel will accept this plan. The Israeli Foreign Ministry criticized the Arab League declaration, saying, "It does not reflect the reality after October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel," and accused it of "continuing to rely on the PA and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), both of which have issues with corruption and support for terrorism." It also stated, "President Trump's idea has given Gaza residents the opportunity to choose freely, and this should be encouraged."
There also appear to be differences of opinion within the Arab League. The meeting was attended by leaders from the Middle East and North Africa, including King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain, UN Secretary-General Ant?nio Guterres, and Ant?nio Costa, the permanent chair of the European Union (EU) summit. Ahmed Al-Shara, interim president of Syria, who ousted the Bashar al-Assad dictatorship at the end of last year, also attended at the invitation of the host country, Egypt.
In Saudi Arabia, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto ruler, was represented by Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, and in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan attended instead of President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Earlier, on the 21st of last month, leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states, King Abdullah II of Jordan, and President El-Sisi of Egypt gathered in Saudi Arabia at the invitation of Crown Prince Mohammed to discuss Egypt's proposal.
The Associated Press noted the absence of the powerful Middle Eastern leaders from Saudi Arabia and the UAE at this summit. Their active participation is essential to finance the reconstruction. Bloomberg, citing sources, reported that there are differences of opinion within the Arab League regarding Gaza's governance, security, and the future of Hamas.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
