After discussions at the White House on Feb. 11 with Jordan’s King Abdullah II, who expressed serious misgivings over the Gaza “Riviera” plan, U.S. President Donald Trump expects the Arab nations to propose plans for Gaza’s future as an alternative to relocating Palestinians from the enclave.
“The King would much prefer that the Palestinians stay in place, with the additional land to be used for new development, which would greatly create jobs at levels never seen before. But the President feels it would be much better and more majestic if these Palestinians could be moved to safer areas,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Feb. 12. “I would just add to that that the President remains wholeheartedly committed to seeing peace in the Middle East. And our Arab partners in the region have been tasked with coming up with a peace plan to present to the President.”
The Feb. 11 announcement by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, that Egypt is preparing such a plan and would soon announce it, was clearly an answer to Trump’s challenge. In this regard Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Jordan’s King Abdullah II reiterated in a phone call on Feb. 12, the immediate need to start rebuilding Gaza, while emphasizing that the Palestinian people “must not be displaced” from their historical land. They also reaffirmed their commitment to “working closely with U.S. President Trump to achieve lasting peace in the Middle East,” based on the establishment of a State of Palestine along the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. President el-Sisi and King Abdullah also discussed preparations for the emergency Arab summit in Egypt on Feb. 27, according to Al Ahram news.
While it was reported that President el-Sisi would not visit the United States if Trump presents his Gaza Riviera plan, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry affirmed Cairo’s intention to present a comprehensive plan for reconstructing the Gaza Strip while ensuring that Palestinians remain on their land.
