An emergency Arab League summit, set to take place in Egypt at the end of this month, will discuss an Arab proposal aimed at ensuring Palestinians remain on their land. This initiative directly counters US President Donald Trump’s plan advocating for the displacement of Palestinians from Gaza.
Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit said the summit will present a unified Arab stance as an alternative to Trump’s. He emphasized that the plan will be based on Palestinian consensus and supported by broad Arab and international backing.
According to Arab League spokesperson Gamal Roshdy, the summit will focus on a reconstruction plan for Gaza while ensuring Palestinians remain in their homeland.
Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that Cairo will host the emergency summit on February 27 to address the latest serious developments concerning Palestine. The meeting comes amid Trump’s continued push to relocate Palestinians from Gaza to other countries, including Egypt and Jordan.
Aboul Gheit firmly rejected any Arab concessions regarding Palestinian land, reiterating the Arab world’s commitment to a two-state solution. He slammed Trump for seeks to strip Palestinians of their rights, adding: “Neither he nor anyone else can buy Gaza.”
In late January, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi denounced any forced relocation of Palestinians, calling it an “injustice” that Egypt would not accept.
The Arab League also issued a statement last week rejecting Trump’s plan, saying it violates international law and undermines the two-state solution that is seen as the only viable path to lasting peace and security between Palestinians and Israelis.
The upcoming summit’s Arab proposal revolves around three key objectives: rejecting the forced displacement of Palestinians, launching a large-scale reconstruction initiative for Gaza and restoring the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) governance over the territory, leading to elections after a transitional period.
According to an Arab diplomatic source, Egypt and other Arab states are working on a framework to allow the PA to resume its administration of Gaza with minimal resistance from Hamas, which currently rules the coastal enclave.
Egypt has also announced plans to host an international conference, in collaboration with the United Nations, to facilitate Gaza’s reconstruction.
In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, political analyst Ashraf Al-Ashry noted that the proposal aims to prevent forced displacement, while enabling the PA to re-establish control over Gaza, ultimately paving the way for Palestinian elections.
Palestinian political analyst Shafiq Al-Talouli echoed this sentiment, stressing that Arab countries are taking serious steps to turn their vision for Palestine into reality by ensuring the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
“The most effective way to counter displacement efforts is Arab unity,” he stressed.
Moreover, he said post-war planning must focus on transferring control of Gaza back to the PA given that several European countries support this approach.
Such a step requires urgent Palestinian reconciliation, especially between Fatah and Hamas, he remarked.
