Spain backs Arab plan to rebuild Gaza

By Alyssa McMurtry

OVIEDO, Spain (AA) - Spain backs the Arab plan to rebuild Gaza without displacing Palestinians, the Foreign Ministry said Thursday.

The plan “outlines a path to stabilize the situation in Gaza and advance toward the implementation of a two-state solution, the only possible way to guarantee peace and stability in the region,” the ministry said in a statement.

An emergency Arab summit in Cairo on Tuesday adopted Egypt’s $53 billion plan to rebuild the Gaza Strip, almost destroyed by Israel's relentless bombardment since October 2023 until a ceasefire in January. The military campaign also killed more than 48,000 people.

The plan offers an alternative to US President Donald Trump’s vision of displacing all Gazans to turn Gaza into the “Riviera of the Middle East.”

Trump’s plan was rejected by the Arab world and many other nations, who say it amounts to ethnic cleansing.

"The Spanish government backs the Arab League’s push for peace and stability and welcomes the recognition of Palestine’s role in rebuilding Gaza," the Spanish statement said. "Palestinians must be able to live in peace on their own land."

The Arab proposal has been rejected by the US and Israel but applauded by several other nations including Türkiye.