UPDATE - Arab summit in Cairo adopts Egypt’s Gaza reconstruction plan as ‘unified’ initiative

ADDS MORE DETAILS, BACKGROUND

By Rania Abu Shamala and Mohammad Sio​​​​​​​

ISTANBUL (AA) - An emergency Arab summit in Cairo on Tuesday adopted Egypt’s reconstruction plan to rebuild the Gaza Strip.

The summit’s final statement stipulated “the adoption of the plan submitted by the Arab Republic of Egypt—in full coordination with the State of Palestine and Arab countries, and based on studies conducted by the World Bank and the UN Development Fund—regarding early recovery and the reconstruction of Gaza as a comprehensive Arab plan.”

It affirmed the rejection of the displacement of Palestinians from their land “under any pretext or circumstances.”

The summit highlighted that it assigned an Arab legal committee to study the classification of Palestinian displacement as part of the crime of genocide.

It condemned a recent decision by Israel to halt the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza and to close crossings used for relief efforts, affirming that those measures constitute “a violation of the ceasefire agreement, international law, and international humanitarian law.”

Additionally, it expressed rejection of Israel’s use of a siege and starvation of civilians as a “means to achieve political objectives.”

The statement also condemned Israeli aggression against Syria and its incursion into Syrian territory, calling on the international community and the UN Security Council to take immediate action to force Israel to withdraw.

It also demanded that Palestinian worshippers be allowed access to Al-Aqsa Mosque and rejected any attempts to displace Palestinians from camps and cities in the West Bank.

The final statement further called on the UN Security Council to deploy international peacekeeping forces in the West Bank and Gaza, with the goal of supporting the political horizon “for the embodiment of a Palestinian state.”

The statement emphasized the highest priority of completing the implementation of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, focusing on its second and third phases.

It also warned that any attempts to displace the Palestinian people or annex any part of Palestinian land would plunge the region into conflict and undermine opportunities for stability.

Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit confirmed at a press conference that Egypt’s plan for Gaza’s reconstruction is the Arab response to US President Donald Trump’s proposal to relocate the Gaza Strip’s population.

Trump has repeatedly called to “take over” Gaza and resettle its population to develop it into a tourist destination. His plan was rejected by the Arab world and many other nations, who say it amounts to ethnic cleansing.

“The committee assigned by the Arab-Islamic summit has been tasked with ongoing efforts to present the Arab plan in international capitals, and we are awaiting international reactions to it,” he added.

Aboul Gheit emphasized that the emergency summit in Cairo affirmed the Arab collective stance rejecting any proposals for displacing the Palestinians, noting that “Arab countries fully supported Egypt’s plan for Gaza's reconstruction.”

He also pointed out that the Egyptian plan sets a new security and political trajectory for the Gaza Strip.

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa stressed that “Gaza is an integral part of the State of Palestine” and emphasized the importance of uniting Gaza and the West Bank.

“We will participate in a ministerial meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Friday, and we hope the reconstruction plan will be approved,” he said.

Mustafa noted that the reconstruction process would follow a governance framework and an independent body that will oversee it, with efforts made to work with all parties to implement the Gaza reconstruction plan.

One of the key elements of the Arab plan for Gaza’s reconstruction is an initial phase lasting six months, followed by a two-year period, with a firm rejection of any attempts to displace Palestinians from their land. The third phase is the “Second Reconstruction Phase,” which is estimated to last two and a half years.

The plan includes the formation of a Gaza administration committee to run the enclave for a six-month transitional period. This committee will be independent and composed of non-partisan “technocrats” operating under the umbrella of the Palestinian government.

Nearly 48,400 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, and more than 111,000 have been injured in a brutal Israeli onslaught on Gaza since October 2023. The assault, which left the enclave in ruins, was paused under a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement that took hold on Jan. 19.

Israel halted the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza on Sunday as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu refused to start negotiations on the second phase of a ceasefire deal between Tel Aviv and the Palestinian group Hamas.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in November for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.