Arab officials coordinate stance on Gaza reconstruction plan in Qatar

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News websites
13 Mar 2025 02:21

Foreign ministers and a high-ranking official in the PLO met in Doha to coordinate their position on the Palestinian cause.

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Palestinians walk surrounded by the rubble of homes and buildings destroyed by the Israeli occupation in the al-Zaytoun neighborhood of Gaza City, the Gaza Strip, Palestine, on March 7, 2025. (AP)

Foreign ministers from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, as well as the secretary-general of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO EC), met in Doha, Qatar, to coordinate their positions on the Palestinian cause.

The Executive Committee of the PLO is the organization's highest executive body, chaired by President Mahmoud Abbas. The meeting follows the Arab states' endorsement of Egypt's reconstruction plan for the Strip and recent Cairo talks, where Hamas reaffirmed its commitment to a governance agreement for Gaza.

Officials discussed mechanisms for promoting and mobilizing funding for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, estimated to cost $53 billion. This comes as Egypt prepares for an international conference on Gaza's rebuilding, jointly with the United Nations and the Palestinian Authority (PA), aiming for April.

In the context of the high-level discussions in Doha, the Arab foreign ministers and the Secretary-General of the PLO EC met with United States special envoy Steve Witkoff.

The officials presented Witkoff with a reconstruction plan and agreed to continued coordination with Washington on the issue. The ministers emphasized the importance of establishing a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and occupied Palestinian territories, emphasizing the importance of achieving a comprehensive peace based on the "two-state solution".

Trump backtracks from Gaza ethnic cleansing plan

Arab states have intensified their diplomatic efforts as they seek an alternative to U.S. President Donald Trump's initial plan for Gaza, which aimed to "take over" the territory and forcibly expel its residents. However, in a significant reversal, Trump recently backtracked on his stance, telling reporters that "no one will be expelled from Gaza" and insisting that "no one is forcing the residents of the Strip to leave," marking a departure from his earlier support for the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians.

Trump added that serious efforts are underway in cooperation with the Israeli occupation to resolve the crisis in Gaza. This statement is a clear retreat from his earlier proposal to expel Palestinians from Gaza and turn the territory into what he described as the "Riviera of the Middle East," a suggestion that faced widespread rejection both regionally and internationally.

Trump made these remarks during a meeting with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin in Washington, where they discussed the situation in Gaza.

Following the meeting, Martin stated, "We want the release of prisoners and peace in Gaza," stressing the need to establish a ceasefire amid international mediation efforts to advance the second phase of the truce agreement between Hamas and the Israeli regime.