The US and Israel have rejected an Arab plan for the post-war reconstruction of the Gaza Strip that would allow the 2.1 million Palestinians living there to stay in place.
The proposal, endorsed by Arab leaders at a summit in Cairo, is their alternative to President Donald Trump’s idea for the US to take over Gaza and permanently resettle its population.
The Palestinian Authority and Hamas welcomed the Arab plan, which calls for Gaza to be governed temporarily by a committee of independent experts and for international peacekeepers to be deployed there.
But both the White House and Israeli foreign ministry said it failed to address realities in Gaza and stood by Trump’s vision.
The summit took place amid growing concern that Gaza’s fragile ceasefire deal could collapse after the six-week first phase expired last Saturday.
Israel has blocked aid from entering the territory to pressure Hamas to accept a new US proposal for a temporary extension of the truce, during which more hostages held in Gaza would be released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
The $53bn Arab plan for rebuilding Gaza once the war ends was presented by Egypt at an emergency Arab League summit on Tuesday.
A statement endorsing the plan stressed “the categorical rejection of any form of displacement of the Palestinian people”, describing such an idea as “a gross violation of international law, a crime against humanity and ethnic cleansing”.
The plan envisages reconstruction taking place over three phases and taking five years, during which some 1.5 million displaced Gazans would be moved into 200,000 prefabricated housing units and 60,000 repaired homes.
In the first phase, which would last six months and cost $3bn, millions of tonnes of rubble and any unexploded ordnance would be cleared.
The second phase, lasting two years and costing $20bn, would see housing and utilities rebuilt. An airport, two seaports and an industrial zone would be built during the third phase, which would take another two years and cost $30bn.
However, Israel’s foreign ministry swiftly rejected the Arab League’s statement endorsing the Egyptian plan, saying it “fails to address the realities of the situation following 7 October 2023, remaining rooted in outdated perspectives”.
“Now, with President Trump’s idea, there is an opportunity for the Gazans to have free choice based on their free will. This should be encouraged!” it added.
“Instead, Arab states have rejected this opportunity, without giving it a fair chance, and continue to level baseless accusations against Israel.”
White House National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes said the Arab plan did “not address the reality that Gaza is currently uninhabitable and residents cannot humanely live in a territory covered in debris and unexploded ordnance.”
“President Trump stands by his vision to rebuild Gaza free from Hamas. We look forward to further talks to bring peace and prosperity to the region.”
Trump proposed last month that the US would “own” Gaza and relocate its population, so that it could be rebuilt and turned into the “Riviera of the Middle East”.
He said the displaced Palestinians would have no right of return because they would have “much better housing” in Egypt, Jordan and other countries. BBC
