Gaza Reconstruction: Arab Swapped Trump Plan; From a Proposal to Admittance
By: Dr. Mohammad Ajmal
When US President Donald Trump came to power, he announced that the United States would occupy the Gaza Strip and relocate its 2.4 million residents to Egypt and Jordan; there was a strong international backlash. Trump’s plan to impose US control over Gaza and forcibly evict the 2.4 million Palestinians there faced strong international condemnation.
The idea of President Trump, critics called it a genocide of the Palestinians. Arab countries, the Palestinian leadership and human rights organizations rejected it outright, calling it a blatant violation of international law. First, President Trump mentioned the plan on January 25, saying that Egypt and Jordan should provide shelter to the Palestinians while Gaza should be evacuated and new projects should be started. After this statement by the US President, the US Secretary of State and the White House spokesman “corrected” President Trump’s statement and made it clear that President Trump did not express his determination to land US troops in Gaza or occupy it, rather offered to remove the rubble from Gaza. However, a day later, President Trump once again reiterated his intentions regarding Gaza, saying that the US would take control of Gaza and rebuild it. Israel also immediately announced that it had begun preparations for a large-scale evacuation of Palestinians from Gaza. The Palestinian leadership called President Trump’s plan a violation of Palestinian fundamental rights and a reminder of the 1948 “Nakba.” Nakba is a literal term used to describe destruction and devastation. Palestinians commemorate Nakba Day on May 15 every year, marking the day when Israel occupied the Palestinian territories in 1948 and expelled more than 700,000 Palestinians from their homes. They later sought refuge in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. Egypt and Jordan have now strongly rejected the plan, which experts say will further escalate tensions in the region. The United Nations and human rights organizations have also condemned forced evictions as a clear violation of international law.
According to UN estimates, most of the houses in Gaza have been destroyed. More than 90 percent of the roads and more than 80 percent of the health facilities have been damaged or destroyed. Damage to infrastructure is estimated at about $30 billion, while damage to houses is estimated at about $16 billion. According to Egyptian officials, the Arab plan calls for a three-phase reconstruction that will take up to five years without the evacuation of Palestinians from Gaza. More than two dozen Egyptian and international firms will participate in the removal of debris and the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip’s infrastructure.
There is no doubt that President Trump’s Gaza plan has created an extraordinary unity among Arab countries, and most of the Arab states are united in their opposition to it. A major meeting was held in Saudi Arabia in recent days in this regard. According to Saudi foreign policy experts, such meetings could prove to be more effective in the decades to come for the Palestinian issue and the wider Arab world. At the meeting held in Saudi Arabia, Arab leaders discussed a Gaza reconstruction plan, which now proved to be the proposed Egyptian plan.
The UN estimates that rebuilding Gaza will cost more than $53 billion, with more than $20 billion needed over the first three years. The meeting also discussed paving the way for a political path to a two-state solution to encourage a lasting ceasefire. It will certainly require an unprecedented Arab coalition to make this plan a reality.
Egypt is preparing a plan to rebuild the Gaza Strip without forcibly evicting Palestinians. According to the Egyptian government, the Arab plan will consist of three phases, which will take up to five years without evicting Palestinians from Gaza. The “Arab plan” also calls for the establishment of “safe zones” inside Gaza where Palestinians can initially live. Egyptian and international construction companies will remove the rubble of the Gaza Strip and rebuild the infrastructure. According to Arab and Western diplomats, Egypt is engaged in talks not only with European countries but also with Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates in this regard. Methods of raising funds for the reconstruction are also being discussed, including holding an international conference on the reconstruction of Gaza. Under the plan proposed by Arab leaders, Palestinians living in Gaza would not be evicted from here, while the Palestinians themselves would manage the 41-kilometer-long coastline on the Mediterranean coast.
The question here is what is the purpose of President Trump’s untimely rhetoric regarding Gaza and why does he seem so enthusiastic about his plan, which is not feasible even in the eyes of Western and American experts. In this regard, President Trump’s political critics believe that his statements are more like bets played during real estate negotiations than permanent US foreign policy. Perhaps Donald Trump is spreading confusion about this so that he can work on some other plan. Critics also say that President Trump has a strong desire to win the Nobel Peace Prize and for this, he is trying to establish peace in the Middle East. Interestingly, and on the basis of the current reports received, President Trump has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.
It should be remembered that in the 1990s, a historic agreement was reached between the Palestinians and Israel in the Norwegian capital Oslo, after which the head of the Palestinian Authority, Yasser Arafat, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, and Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, who later became the president of Israel, were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. However, the price of this peace agreement was paid by Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, who was assassinated by an extremist Jew. The current Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu seems to openly reject the Oslo Accords, so President Trump is eager to make a new peace agreement, whether his plan succeeds or not.
The duplicity of many Western countries supporting the genocide of Palestinians by the US-backed Israel has now been exposed. The countries that were earlier saying that Israel was only fighting a war of self-defense and was not deliberately targeting Palestinian people are now saying without any hesitation that “Gaza land has become uninhabitable”, But what these countries conveniently ignored was the fact that the forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza was started by the Biden administration and its European allies shortly after October 7th 2023 and was in line with the Israeli plan to expel Palestinians into the Sinai Desert, which was leaked to the media immediately after the Hamas attacks. However, what was previously conveyed privately through diplomatic channels in hushed tones, President Trump just made it loud and clear, and as a real-estate tycoon, he also included “high-quality housing societies” in this plan.
The biggest obstacle to the implementation of President Trump’s plan is the Palestinians themselves, who do not want to leave their land. Based on their bitter past experiences, they know that once they leave their land, Israel will never allow them to return. Because this is not the first time that Israel has tried to evacuate Gaza.
Rejecting Trump’s plans, Palestinian groups stressed that Palestinian national unity is essential. They said that we have pulled thousands of civilians from under the rubble and reached the lifeless bodies of thousands of Palestinians with limited resources, but one thing is crystal clear, that no one can remove us from Gaza.
Gaza is at a critical juncture as the first phase of the ceasefire expired in early March. Israel and Hamas were now to negotiate a second phase, which aimed to release all Israelis held by Hamas, a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and a long-term ceasefire. On the contrary, Israel proposed for an extension of the ceasefire, which was rejected categorically by Hamas, that angered both the US and Israel. According to the Palestinians, no plan for Gaza’s reconstruction could be implemented without a second phase agreement, including who will govern Gaza in the long term. Israel wants Hamas to be eliminated as a political or military force in the territory. According to officials involved in the Gaza reconstruction effort, their proposal is to establish a central Palestinian administration that would run the strip and oversee reconstruction efforts and that is not affiliated with Hamas or the Palestinian Authority.
Although Trump seems to be backing away from the plan to occupy Gaza due to the lack of cooperation from Egypt and Jordan, because without the participation of these two countries, Trump cannot implement his plan. Now he is saying that he will not forcefully implement his plan. He had only made a proposal. After Trump’s statement, it should not be difficult to conclude that he played his card but failed in it. However, the real situation will emerge with time.
According to reports, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation has formally approved the Arab League’s response to US President Trump’s plan to occupy Gaza and displace its residents, calling on the international community to support regional action. The 57-member countries made the decision on March 1, 2025 at an emergency meeting in the Saudi city of Jeddah. The statement said that the OIC has adopted a plan for the early rehabilitation and reconstruction of Gaza. The international community, global and regional financial institutions should immediately provide the necessary support for this plan. OIC Head Hussein Ibrahim Taha said that we support the Arab League’s plan for the reconstruction of Gaza and reject statements such as the forced displacement of the Palestinian people made by the US president.
The Muslim world should adopt a united stance on the situation in Gaza and the ceasefire initiative should be viewed with appreciation. The end of the uncertain situation is possible only with permanent peace and the survival of the people of Gaza and with the delivery of aid. Similarly, the Israeli desire to restart the war must be stopped by united approach. Likewise, peace cannot be established in the region as long as Israeli actions in the West Bank continue. Therefore, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation should reject any proposal that aims to displace the Palestinians, and a comprehensive plan for the delivery of humanitarian aid and reconstruction should be ensured immediately. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Ati welcomed the OIC’s endorsement, saying that he now hopes to gain the support of the international community, including the United States. Badr Abdel Ati said the next step is to obtain support for the plan from the European Union and international parties such as Japan, Russia, China and others.
We are in contact with everyone, including the United States. Saif Alam of the Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies in Cairo said that Arab countries have united in opposition to Trump’s plan. Egypt is seeking broad support for its proposal. He said it is an attempt to build a broad coalition that rejects the displacement of Palestinians from Gaza. Britain, France, Italy and Germany have backed the Arab plan for the reconstruction of Gaza. The foreign ministers of the four countries said in a joint statement that the response to US President Trump’s plan to occupy Gaza and displace its residents shows a realistic path for the reconstruction of Gaza. If implemented, it could lead to a rapid and lasting improvement in the disastrous living conditions for the Palestinians. It is worth remembering that Trump sparked global outrage when he suggested that the United States occupy Gaza and turn it into a “Middle Eastern Riviera” and talked about relocating Palestinian residents to Egypt or Jordan.
The fact that Egypt’s $53 billion plan for the reconstruction of the Palestinian territory of Gaza, which has received the support of the above-mentioned 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation, as well as four major European countries, after the Arab countries, and in contrast, the rejection of US President Trump’s unjust plan to occupy Gaza and push the Palestinian population from here to other countries and turn Gaza into a resort, is clear evidence that the Arab plan is reasonable, fair and feasible in every respect. Unlike President Trump’s plan, the Arab proposal aims to rebuild Gaza within five years without displacing its 2.4 million residents under the supervision of an interim administration consisting of professional Palestinian experts, after which the people of Gaza will be able to establish their own elected government through elections. According to Reuters, the foreign ministers of France, Germany, Italy and Britain said in a joint statement that “this plan appears to be a realistic path to the reconstruction of Gaza and, if implemented, will hopefully lead to a rapid and lasting improvement in the devastating living conditions of Palestinians living in Gaza.” We appreciate the serious efforts of all relevant stakeholders; the important indicators of the rehabilitation and reconstruction plan jointly prepared and sent by the Arab states are commendable. On the other hand, a statement by the Islamic countries said that the OIC approves the Arab plan, the international community, global and regional funding institutions should immediately provide the necessary support.
The recommendations presented by the members of the IOC include the full and immediate implementation of the three stages of the ceasefire agreement, namely a permanent end to the ceasefire, a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and unhindered humanitarian access and a comprehensive reconstruction plan. However, in addition to Israel’s cold stance on Egypt’s proposal, US State Department spokesperson Timmy Bruce said that the plan did not meet Washington’s expectations, while US Ambassador to the Middle East Steve Witkoff described it as a well-intentioned plan. Given the growing global support for the Arab plan to restore Gaza, the US and Israel should also act wisely and abandon their opposition to it.
In the meantime, Israel, being the unreasonable player that it is, has predictably rejected any role for Hamas, as well as any involvement by the Palestinian Authority or the United Nations Relief and Works Agency. Now, with those conditions, it is futile trying to convince Israel. The occupier-in-Chief Benjamin Netanyahu and his coalition of lunatics clearly want the status quo to continue till every last Gazan is either displaced or killed by weapons, malnutrition or illness. At the same time, Israel will continue its intimidation in the West Bank, which could result in the region reaching a boiling point, even during the holy month of Ramadan.
All of this means two things: Netanyahu can no longer claim that he calls the shots in Washington or bypass the president and address Congress directly. It also means that Trump is in a race against time to build a lasting legacy, and Saudi Arabia and the rest of the Arab world are in a good place to help when it comes to Gaza compared with Netanyahu, who most likely will let him down — no matter what Washington offers him.
In that sense, it is believed, Egypt and the Arab League deserve a round of applause, and that the Cairo proposal should be seen as a good starting point rather than a final destination. To succeed, it will need further refining, ironing out wrinkles and, most of all, lots of glitter sprinkled over it.
People can ridicule Trump as much as they like, but the bottom line is that he is a businessman and, for him, it is all about the product, the pitch, and the profit. As for the product, if Trump wants to call it the Riviera of the Middle East, then so be it. It may be wrong to argue about packaging when it is the substance that matters. If this $53 billion Arab Riviera is being built by Palestinians for Palestinians and as part of an agreed Palestinian state, then the only thing left to do is to ensure Israel does not destroy it again in a few years.
However, these countries are worried about Hamas and want to advance the game of driving Hamas out of Gaza and giving the Palestinian Authority a central role. Rather, it is high time for Islamic countries to organize their domestic and foreign policies under a strong strategy that sends a clear and concrete message against Israeli aggression. This should include tough decisions at the diplomatic, economic and political levels. The Islamic world has immense resources, but these resources need to be used for the liberation, restoration and rehabilitation of Palestine. If Islamic countries truly stand with Palestine today, it will no longer be possible for Israel to continue its aggression.
Islamic countries should effectively use their power in the UN, OIC and other international forums and form a bloc that stands firmly for the complete freedom and sovereignty of the Palestinian people. If effective measures are not taken even today, history will never forgive them.
Meanwhile, the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, and Jordan, along with the UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and the Secretary-General of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, met in Doha on 12 March 2025 with US Middle East Envoy Steven Witkoff to discuss developments in the Gaza Strip and the region. According to an Egyptian statement, the Arab foreign ministers presented the Gaza reconstruction plan approved by the Arab Summit in Cairo and endorsed by the extraordinary meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Jeddah regarding support for the Palestinian people. The statement indicated that the meeting witnessed an agreement with the US envoy to continue consultations and coordination on the plan as a basis for reconstruction efforts in the Gaza Strip.
The Arab ministers emphasized the importance of consolidating the ceasefire in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories, emphasizing the need to launch a genuine effort to achieve a just and comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution, ensuring the fulfillment of the Palestinian people’s aspirations for freedom and independence.
The Arab ministers reiterated their commitment to continuing dialogue to promote calm and to work together to consolidate security, stability, and peace in the region by intensifying diplomatic efforts and coordinating with various regional and international parties.
Ultimately, that happened what expected, with regard to current reports, the proposed displacement plan of the people of Gaza, US President Donald Trump responded to a White House reporter’s question on March 12, 2025 about the expulsion plan of the Palestinians from Gaza by saying, “Nobody’s going to expel any Palestinians.”
The reporter’s question came during Trump’s meeting with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin at the White House on Wednesday March 12. The reporter asked Martin, “What about the president’s plan to expel Palestinians from Gaza? Have you discussed it with him?” Trump quickly responded, “Nobody’s going to expel any Palestinians.”
In the first reaction from Hamas on this, Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem welcomed what appeared to be a retreat by the US president from calls to displace the residents of the Gaza Strip. Qassem called on Trump to “disengage from the vision of the extreme Zionist right.”
