Middle East Leaders Meet to Counter Trump on Gaza

After US President Donald Trump said he wanted the US to “own” Gaza, eject more than 2 million Palestinians to Jordan or Egypt, and rebuild the enclave as the “Riviera of the Middle East,” the US’ Arab allies in the region got busy.

While not explicitly condemning the plan as much of the rest of the world did, they firmly rejected moving Palestinians from Gaza. Then they met to create their own plan.

In mid-February, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and other Gulf states gathered in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, in “an informal brotherly gathering” and began grappling with the “day after” the war.

The Gaza Strip, after almost 15 months of war before the ceasefire, is devastated. About 90 percent of homes are uninhabitable. Most schools, shops, hospitals, roads, agricultural land, and water and energy systems are destroyed. It is estimated that reconstruction will take decades and cost more than $50 billion.

After the meeting, the Arab royals and ministers didn’t hold a press conference as usual or release details of the discussion or any hint of a plan. But analysts said it was mainly focused on coordinating their ideas ahead of a March 4 Arab League summit in Cairo because, at the end of the day, they know they must do something.

Trump’s plan, they believe, would deeply destabilize the region.

For Jordan, specifically, it would cause an “existential” crisis. About half to two-thirds of Jordan’s population of 11 million people are of Palestinian origin. For Jordan to take in millions more would not only deeply affect the demographics of the country and its national identity but could threaten it politically and economically, analysts say.

For Egypt, meanwhile, the idea is destabilizing to their security regime and could ignite mass protests that threaten the government.

And for both, it would likely fuel extremism and turn their territories into launchpads for Palestinian attacks on Israel, which would mean war with Israel. “(The plan) is the recipe for Western-friendly Arab regimes to disintegrate,” wrote Chatham House. “A US takeover of Palestinian land would renew the legitimacy of Iran’s proxies across the region, if not trigger a regional war.”

Trump, annoyed by the hard “no” from these two allies, Jordan and Egypt, said he would use US aid as a lever to force them to agree to his plan before backing off from that threat.

Both Egypt and Jordan have relied heavily for decades on US foreign aid for security, infrastructure, and governance, with Egypt receiving about $1.4 billion a year and Jordan receiving about $1.72 billion annually.

Analysts said to avoid being forced into accepting the plan, Egypt and Jordan might start to look elsewhere for funding – to their allies in the Gulf, for example, or even to Russia or China. Meanwhile, Egypt has already warned that any mass transfer of Palestinians into the Sinai Peninsula bordering Gaza could undermine its peace treaty with Israel, which dates back to 1979. Jordan’s treaty with Israel was signed in 1994.

Many around the Arab world, in Europe, and elsewhere describe the plan to relocate Palestinians as “ethnic cleansing,” and a “war crime.”

Palestinians themselves say Trump’s plan for Gaza and the promise of a fresh start in a new country ignores the demand at the center of their aspirations and all of their wars with Israel – the right to live with dignity and equal rights in their historic homeland – and invokes “painful memories of dispossession and exile,” during the Nakba, wrote Al Jazeera. That refers to the forced expulsion of more than 750,000 Palestinians in 1948 during the first Arab-Israeli war following Israel’s foundation.

Israel supports it, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calling it a “remarkable idea,” saying it encourages “voluntary migration.” He added that the Israeli Defense Forces have been told to prepare for it.

Israeli officials have also suggested that Saudi Arabia, Norway, or other European countries critical of Israel’s conduct in the war take in Palestinians.

Meanwhile, the counterplan developed by Egypt, according to Al-Ahram newspaper, which is close to the Egyptian government, was in part to “block any other ideas or plans that aim to change the geographical and demographic composition of the Gaza Strip.”

It includes establishing three so-called safe areas for Palestinians to live in as Egyptian and other international companies rebuild the enclave over five years.

Egypt’s plan also dictates that Hamas give up governance of Gaza. Most Gulf states and the West won’t commit funds if Hamas remains in charge.

Hamas has told NPR it is willing to give up power – even as it said it would retain the right to maintain arms against Israel. It also said it would accept a Palestinian unity government without Hamas’ participation or a committee of technocrats to run the territory.

Egypt’s plan also shuts out the Palestinian Authority, which governs parts of the West Bank. The Palestinian Authority has so far opposed any plans for Gaza that exclude it. It plans to present a counterplan at the Cairo summit.

Meanwhile, all of the leaders at the Riyadh meeting, and especially Israel’s ally, the UAE, say that any plan to reconstruct Gaza with Arab funds must include the establishment of a Palestinian state, which Israel opposes. “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s position on the establishment of a Palestinian state is firm and unwavering,” said Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry.

However, the post-war reconstruction of Gaza will need Israel’s approval and Arab support to help shoulder the cost of rebuilding and the possible deployment of troops for security, say analysts.

Still, no Arab state will commit funds for reconstruction with the ceasefire between Israel and Gaza still shaky.

The first phase of the ceasefire expired March 1. Israel and Hamas are currently negotiating the second of three phases, with the second phase intended to see the release of all remaining hostages held by Hamas, a full Israeli withdrawal from the enclave, and a long-term halt to the war.

Another tricky issue is that Israel’s goal to eliminate Hamas was unsuccessful. As a result, far-right ministers in Israel’s government want to restart the war – as does Netanyahu, who needs the far-right parties for his political survival.

The path out of this war is tricky, and Trump’s plan is a distraction, Brian Katulis of the Middle East Institute think tank told ABC News. However, if the Arab leaders don’t come up with a plan, they know what is coming.

Last week, Trump posted a video on Truth Social showing a visualization of the transformation of Gaza into a Dubai-like resort featuring a golden statue of himself, Trump advisor Elon Musk eating hummus, belly dancers, casinos, and shirtless American and Israeli leaders lounging on a beach.

“Donald’s coming to set you free, bringing the light for all to see,” a voice sings over a dance beat. “Trump Gaza is finally here!”