Algerian, Tunisian President to be absent from emergency Arab summit
The two presidents' withdrawal comes as Egypt prepares to unveil a Gaza reconstruction plan at the emergency Arab summit to counter Trump's plan to forcibly expel Gazans from their land.
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Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, right, meets with his Tunisian counterpart Mohamed Ali Nafti ahead of the Arab Summit at Tahrir Palace in Cairo, Egypt, on Monday, March 3, 2025 (AP)
Tunisian President Qais Saeid announced on Monday that he will not be personally present at the emergency Arab summit, which will be held in Cairo, Egypt, on Tuesday, to oppose Trump's threats to expel the Palestinians from Gaza.
President Saeid said he appointed the Foreign Minister of Tunisia, Mohammad Ali al-Nafti, as the head of the Tunisian delegation to the Arab summit, adding that the minister will hold bilateral talks with foreign ministers from other countries.
The summit will be "Discussing the latest developments in the occupied Palestinian territories, in light of the assaults faced by the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank, and attempts to displace them, in order to reach a unified Arab position that is supportive, sympathetic, and aligned with the Palestinian people in their struggle to reclaim their legitimate and inalienable rights," according to a statement by the Tunisian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Tunisian statement affirms that it will renew its "firm and supportive stance on these rights, foremost among them the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with full sovereignty over the entire land of Palestine, with Jerusalem as its capital."
Algerian President Abdelmajid Tebboune also said he would not be able to attend the summit in Cairo and asked Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf to attend on his behalf, citing "imbalances and shortcomings that marred the preparations for this summit," according to the Algeria Press Service, which added "As the preparation of its outcomes was monopolized by a limited group of Arab countries, which took over this task without any coordination with the other countries concerned with the Palestinian cause."
Two weeks ago, an informal meeting was held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, regarding the situation in Palestine, with leaders from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, and the Crown Prince of Bahrain in attendance.
Egypt to host emergency Arab summit
Egypt will host an emergency Arab summit on March 4, tomorrow, which was originally scheduled for February 27, to "address the latest serious developments" in Palestine, after US President Donald Trump announced his plans to expel the Palestinians from Gaza, according to an Egyptian Foreign Ministry announcement.
The Foreign Ministry explained that the meeting was agreed upon after extensive high-level consultations by Egypt with Arab countries, including Palestine — which initially requested the summit — to discuss the latest critical developments concerning the Palestinian cause.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty announced on March 2 that a Gaza reconstruction plan designed to ensure that Palestinians remain on their lands will be unveiled at the emergency summit, as Arab countries work towards a diplomatic strategy to counter Trump's plan.
According to the Egyptian FM, the plan will not be solely Egyptian or Arab, but will obtain international backing and funding to guarantee its successful implementation, pointing that they will hold intensive talks with major donor countries once the plan is adopted at the upcoming Arab Summit."
Egypt strongly opposes any proposals seeking to displace the Palestinian people, emphasizing the need to prevent the 'liquidation' of the Palestinian cause and safeguard the national security of countries in the region, the Egyptian presidency stated in a communiqué on February 25.
Trump defended his proposal on February 21, claiming that it "really works" but he will not impose it, saying, "I'll tell you the way to do it, it is my plan. I think that's the plan that really works. But I'm not forcing it. I'm just going to sit back and recommend it," Trump said in a Fox News Radio interview.