On the Eve of the Cairo Summit: Closed Meeting of Arab Foreign Ministers
On Monday, Arab foreign ministers held a closed-door session in Cairo ahead of an emergency Arab League summit scheduled for Tuesday. The summit aims to discuss a unified plan to counter U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal to control the Gaza Strip and displace its population.
The ministers convened a “preparatory and consultative” meeting to deliberate on an Arab strategy for rebuilding Gaza without displacing its 2.4 million residents, according to an anonymous Arab League source cited by Agence France-Presse.
The source noted that the meeting was held behind closed doors and emphasized that “the plan will be presented to Arab leaders at the summit on Tuesday” for approval.
Prior to the session, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty held separate meetings with his counterparts from Jordan, Bahrain, Tunisia, Iraq, Yemen, and Palestine. According to a statement from Egypt’s Foreign Ministry, Abdelatty urged progress on early recovery projects in Gaza while rejecting any displacement of Palestinians.
Trump’s controversial proposal to “control” the Gaza Strip and transform it into the “Riviera of the Middle East” by displacing its Palestinian residents to Egypt and Jordan has sparked global outrage. In response, Arab nations united to oppose the plan, with Saudi Arabia hosting a consultative meeting of Arab leaders last month to discuss “joint efforts to support the Palestinian cause.”
Speaking at a press conference in Cairo on Sunday, Abdelatty announced that a Gaza reconstruction plan is ready and will be submitted to Arab leaders for approval during the Cairo Summit.
Recently, Trump appeared to soften his stance, stating, “I think it’s a successful plan, but I won’t impose it. I’ll just recommend it.”
