Indian Council of World Affairs

At the behest of Egypt in coordination with Bahrain, the current chair of the Arab League, [i] an emergency meeting of the Arab League was called in Cairo on 4 March 2025 to discuss, amongst other prominent issues, the reconstruction plan for Gaza, which has almost turned into debris due to the ongoing war. It is also being perceived that the emergency session was primarily convened to counter and reject President Trump’s recent provocative proposal of the US takeover of the war-battered Gaza Strip. In a joint press conference with Netanyahu he had said, “Gaza is a demolition site and approximately 1.8 million Palestinians should be moved to a new site in other Arab countries, such as Egypt and Jordan where they can live in peace”.[ii] He also expressed his desire to turn Gaza into a beautiful location, what he called the “Riviera of the Middle East.”[iii] The meeting was attended by major Arab countries and close US allies like Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Qatar. This meeting was also seen as an attempt to manifest a rare show of unity among the Arab leaders to block the latest US move on Gaza.

Two weeks before this meeting, a limited consultative meeting was hosted by Saudi Arabia in Jeddah on 20 February 2025, which was attended by Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, the UAE, Bahrain and Kuwait. The meeting made it clear that Palestinians would remain in their land.[iv] The statement, issued following the meeting, also stated, “Trump’s proposal throws out of decades of works towards Palestinian self-determination, tread on the right of residents of Gaza and will perpetuate a regional cycle of violence”. [v]

It can be recalled here that amid the first stage of the 42-day Israel-Hamas ceasefire, President Trump triggered an outrage during a joint press conference with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on 4 February 2025 when he said that the US would take over Gaza to rebuild it, as it has become an utterly inhabitable place for the locals. He had also stated that the US would be responsible for removing the debris of destroyed buildings and dismantling the unexploded dangerous bombs.[vi]

What is the Gaza Reconstruction Plan:

Though Egypt, along with Qatar and the US, has been at the forefront of numerous diplomatic and political initiatives in the past to resolve the Gaza crisis, this emergency meeting was convened by Egypt amidst unprecedented political circumstances after Trump’s proposal of taking over the Gaza. The statement of Trump on Gaza led to a large-scale condemnation and disapproval, including by Hamas, which termed it a recipe for creating chaos and tension in the region.[vii] 

The resolution passed at the conclusion of the meeting sternly rejected any displacement or relocation of the Palestinians from their territories to other parts of the region. It also opposed the idea of displacement within their territories inside Gaza, in an explicit reference to the displacement of Gazans from north to south and vice versa seen during the heyday of the Israeli bombardment.[viii] The meeting also condemned the constant violation of the ceasefire agreement by the Israeli forces.[ix] 

Those who participated in the meeting hailed the efforts of Jordan and Egypt in standing steadfast to the pressure of the US and Israel to absorb the inhabitants of Gaza in pursuit of the accomplishment of the US plan. Speaking on the occasion, Jordan King Abdullah II said that the Cairo Summit aimed to emphasise four points: rejection of the displacement plan, reconstruction of Gaza, mobilising funds for Gaza reconstruction and reform of the Palestinian Authority. [x] According to one report published by Jerusalem Post, around 100,000 Palestinians have crossed over to the territories of Egypt through Rafah border since the Israel-Gaza war started in October 2023.[xi] . This is in addition to those who are receiving treatment in different hospitals in Egypt but their numbers do not exceed thousand. 

The major objective of the Arab League Summit was to discuss the Gaza Reconstruction and Development Plan presented by Egypt, prepared in coordination with the Palestinian Authority and the Arab states. The source reveals that the economic part of the plan was also discussed with the World Bank and United Nations Development Program.[xii] 

The reconstruction plan first envisions a transitional (lasting approximately six months) takeover of Gaza by a 15-member nonpartisan technocrat body, called the “Gaza Administrative Committee”[xiii] without the participation of Hamas, which would subsequently hand over power to the Palestinian Authority.[xiv] This phase would be followed by the reconstruction of Gaza, with the total expenditure of $53 billion, and the span of reconstruction could last between three and five years. The construction phase would be divided into two parts. The first phase would require $20 billion and could last till 2027, while the last phase would end by 2030 with an expenditure of $30 billion. 

The first phase of the reconstruction would begin with the removal of unexploded ordnance and the clearing of more than 50 million tonnes of rubble left by the destructive Israel-Gaza war. The removal and clearing of ordnance and rubble would take about six months. The plan also intends to identify seven sites in the Strip to house around 1.5 million Gazans in temporary tents and camps until construction is completed. The participants suggested for calling an intentional donor conference to establish a trust fund to ensure funding is needed for the project.[xv] The plan further stipulated the establishment of an intentional supervisory body to monitor the expenditure and maintain the transparency and evade possible financial embezzlement. According to the plan, Egypt and Jordan will each undertake the training of a Palestinian force to provide security and resolution, seeking the UNSC to send an international peacekeeping force to Gaza and the West Bank within a timeframe that would conclude with the establishment of an independent state of Palestine. 

The meeting not only focused on the construction part but also asked the Palestinian Authority to reorient itself and introduce long-due reform and hold general elections and elections for the post of president. On the occasion, President Abbas said that he had decided to appoint a deputy to the President and PLO chairperson as well.[xvi] The statement called for unity among different factions and overcoming the ideological and political differences to come out of the political stagnation Palestinian politics has been witnessing for over a decade.[xvii] 

What really seems to have prompted Egypt to call this meeting is its effort to preserve its leadership role in the region, particularly on Israel-Gaza conflict. For decades since the creation of the state of Isarel and subsequent conflict, Egypt has always remained at the forefront of all the peace initiatives be it regional or global. Further Egypt, being a bordering state of Israel, has its concerns over Trump’s Gaza plan and hence it took no time to mobilise the Arab leaders to reject Trump’s plan and instead offered an alternative proposal for the reconstruction of Gaza.

Regional and Global Reactions

As expected, Israel took no time to reject the Gaza Construction Plan, saying that the resolution passed at the Arab League Summit was more a reflection of the impotence of the Arab politics being witnessed for long.[xviii] Israel, in an official statement, said that the plan makes no sense as it omits any reference to the role of Hamas in the 7 October attack.[xix] Prime Minister Netanyahu said that he still believes in Trump’s recent proposal of converting Gaza into a resort and added that neither Hamas nor the PA could govern Gaza.[xx] He reiterated his conventional stance that in no circumstances can Hamas be allowed to stay in or around Gaza.[xxi] While the US, for its part, vetoed the Gaza Reconstruction Plan, saying that its outcome statement ignores the realities on the ground, as the Gaza territories have become quite inhabitable and residents cannot live in a territory covered with unexploded ordnance.[xxii] The US once again committed its unwavering support to Israel and pledged $4 billion in military aid to Israel.[xxiii] An Egypt-Arab delegation is expected to travel to the US to convince and explain to the US administration about the Gaza Reconstruction Plan, and this will be followed by visits to different European capitals.[xxiv] 

In response to the reactions of Israel and the US, Secretary General of the Arab League, Ahmad Aboul Gheit, stated that the US’ stance is likely to deter the reconstruction process in Gaza.[xxv] He said that there was a near agreement that the World Bank would monitor the reconstruction of Gaza, but the US’ reaction is a bad omen. While talking of reconstruction, he referred to the case of Japan and Berlin in the past, which went through a comprehensive reconstruction process without displacement of the locals in the aftermath of World War II.[xxvi] He also blamed the October 7 incident for the total destruction of Gaza. According to him, the total objective of the exercise went into complete disarray. He emphasised that reconstruction could not begin until there is a complete ceasefire. Türkiye, for its part, welcomed the outcome statement of the Arab League Summit, and its official statement said that it would continue to support the reconstruction plan of Gaza.[xxvii] Besides Türkiye, Germany, Italy, Franc and UK too in a joint statement welcomed the Gaza reconstruction plan.  

Apart from the rejection of Israel and the US, there were divisions amongst Arab countries as well. Alegria, which in recent years has emerged as the biggest advocate of the cause of Palestine, expressed its reservation and did not participate in the Summit. President Abdelmadjid Tebboune called the whole initiative a faulty one and stated that small countries seemed to have monopolised the whole issue.[xxviii] Though the Arab states endorsed Egypt’s plan, the extent of support from the region remained unclear. The reservation of UAE and Saudi Arabia over the role of Hamas in the future politics of Palestine could derail the process as the financial contribution of these two countries would be vital to the success of the plan.[xxix] Both nations have constantly called for the disarmament of Hamas and are opposed to any role for Hamas in the future politics of Gaza, which is quite in tune with the demands of Israel. On its part, Hamas said that laying down the arms would be a red line for it, and it is beyond question. Its spokesperson said that if there is a national consensus on keeping Hamas out of the Gaza governance, it would abide by that,[xxx] but it would not allow any regional and international actor to take over the control of Gaza in the name of governance or security. 

Conclusion  

Given the past record of the Arab League meetings or OIC meetings, it is likely that the outcome of the Cairo Summit would suffer the same fate and fail to bring any tangible change on the ground. The two major actors in regional politics (the US and Israel) have already rejected the Gaza plan, and hence, there is little hope of any advancement in the direction of achieving the objective. Here it can be recalled that the Arab League and the OIC had called a similar joint meeting in the early days of the Gaza War but failed to enforce any of the resolutions passed at the end of the meeting. There are many challenges to the plan when it comes to implementation. The reconstruction plan also seems more symbolic than practical. It is high on showing solidarity with Palestine for the sake of serving domestic constituencies and low on Arab unity on dealing with Hamas and other such entities. Linking the plan’s timeline to establishment of the independent state of Palestine is as not a practical way forward. There is also no talk of ceasefire modalities which may facilitate the process of reconstruction itself. Yet, Egypt plan has found favour in some European countries and Türkiye as a reflection of their will to deal with the issue in some meaningful way.

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*Dr. Fazzur Rahman Siddiqui is a Senior Research Fellow with ICWA.
Disclaimer: The views expressed are personal.

Endnotes

[i]Full Text of Final Resolution from Arab Leaders’ Palestine Summit, The National, March 05, 2025, accessed https://shorter.me/i-weN March 10, 2025.

[ii] Trump Proposes U.S. control oof Gaza in Move that would Permanemtly Displace Palestinians, NBC News , February 4 2025, accessed  https://shorter.me/eM3B- April 2 2025.

[iii] Alexender Smith, Trump’s Plan for the Riveria of the Middle East in Gaza was Condemned, NBC News, March 6 2025, accessed https://shorter.me/hlcni March 12, 2025.

[iv]Arab League Summit on Gaza Postponed to March 04, Egypt, Arab News, February 18, 2025, accessed https://shorter.me/wxmtD March 14, 2025.

[v]Arab Leaders Discuss Alternative to Trum Gaza pal an at Saudi Arabia meet, Aljazeera, February 21, 2025, accessed https://shorter.me/9Bb_- March 11 2, 2025.

[vi] Trum: US will take over Gaza, level it and create the Riveria of Middle East, Times of Israel, Feb 05, 2025, accessed https://shorter.me/icjO5 March 18, 2025.

[vii] Trump says US will take over and own Gaza for development plan, Jazeera, February 05, 2025, accessed https://shorter.me/D0mxb March 06, 2025.

[viii]Full Text of Final Resolution from Arab Leaders’ Palestine Summit, The National, March 05, 2025, accessed https://shorter.me/i-weN March 10, 2025.

[ix] Powerless Arab Summit, Rail Youm (Arabic Daily) March 08, 2025, accessed https://shorter.me/GU16e March 10, 2025.

[x] The Palestinian Summit Adopted the Egyptian Plan for Reconstruction of Gaza, Asharq Awsat (Arabic), March 4, 2025, accessed https://shorter.me/H17v2 March 15, 2025.

[xi] Complex Landscapes Awaits Gaza Evacuees in Cairo, Jerusalem Post, June 3 2024, accessed https://shorter.me/HLMMy  April 2 2025

[xii]

[xiii] How will US Treat Egyptian Plan of Gaza Reconstruction, Asharq Awsat (Arabic), March 04, 2025, accessed https://shorter.me/ZqKr9 March 12, 2025.

[xiv]Palestinian in Gaza Welcome Arab Plan but worry about potential obstacles, The National, March 05, 2025, accessed https://shorter.me/6-Dde March 10, 2025.

[xv] The Palestinian Summit Adopted the Egyptian Plan for Reconstruction of Gaza, Asharq Awsat (Arabic), March 4, 2025, accessed https://shorter.me/H17v2 March 15, 2025.

[xvi]The Palestinian Summit Adopted the Egyptian Plan for Reconstruction of Gaza, Asharq Awsat (Arabic), March 04, 2025, accessed https://shorter.me/H17v2 March 15, 2025.

[xvii] Maya El Jundi, the Arab Summit’s Gaza Plan is a Step Forward but the Road ahead is long , Middle East Monitor, March 05, 2025, accessed https://shorter.me/h5EQi March 16, 2025.

[xviii] Powerless Arab Summit, Rail Youm (Arabic Daily) March 8, 2025, accessed https://shorter.me/GU16e March 10, 2025.

[xix] Maya El Jundi, the Arab Summit’s Gaza Plan is a Step Forward but the Road ahead is long , Middle East Monitor, March 05, 2025, accessed https://shorter.me/h5EQi March 16, 2025.

[xx] US rejects alternative Gaza reconstruction plan proposed by Arab leaders, CNN, March 05 2025, accessed https://shorter.me/zXJgM March 13, 2025.

[xxi]Abul Gheit, US Reaction confirms that Gaza Negotiation would be difficult, Al-Arabiya (Arabic), March 05, 2025, accessed https://shorter.me/uWkGh March 10, 2025.

[xxii] US rejects alternative Gaza reconstruction plan proposed by Arab leaders, CNN, March 05 2025, accessed https://shorter.me/zXJgM March 13, 2025.

[xxiii] How will US Treat Egyptian Plan of Gaza Reconstruction, Asharq Awsat (Arabic), March 04, 2025, accessed https://shorter.me/ZqKr9 March 12, 2025.

[xxiv] How will US Treat Egyptian Plan of Gaza Reconstruction, Asharq Awsat (Arabic), March 04, 2025, accessed https://shorter.me/ZqKr9 March 12, 2025.

[xxv] Abul Gheit, US Reaction confirms that Gaza Negotiation would be difficult, Al-Arabiya (Arabic), March 5, 2025, accessed https://shorter.me/uWkGh March 10, 2025.

[xxvi]Abul Gheit, US Reaction confirms that Gaza Negotiation would be difficult, Al-Arabiya (Arabic), March 05, 2025, accessed https://shorter.me/uWkGh March 10, 2025.

[xxvii] Türkiye Welcomes Arab Leaders’ Adoption of Gaza Reconstruction Plan, Yani Safak, March 05, 2025, accessed https://shorter.me/TMorG March 13, 2025.

[xxviii] Cairo Hosts Arab Summit on Gaza Reconstruction, Daily News, March 03, 2025, accessed https://shorter.me/W_KCQ March 07, 2025.

[xxix]US rejects alternative Gaza reconstruction plan proposed by Arab leaders, CNN, March 05 2025, accessed https://shorter.me/zXJgM March 13, 2025.

[xxx]US rejects alternative Gaza reconstruction plan proposed by Arab leaders, CNN, March 05 2025, accessed https://shorter.me/zXJgM March 13, 2025.