Arab Summit on Trump’s ethnic cleansing plan in Gaza postponed to Friday

A mini-Arab summit scheduled for Thursday to discuss the response to US President Donald Trump’s ethnic cleansing plan in Gaza has been postponed to Friday, two Arab diplomats said yesterday.

A Saudi source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the summit has been extended to include leaders of the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, along with Egypt and Jordan.

Informed sources also told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed news site that several countries are seeking to prepare a plan and present it to Washington, which should include removing arms from the Palestinian resistance in Gaza as a guarantee to stopping the displacement plan and begin reconstruction.

The sources said the plan will be presented to Trump, who has recently said he would back down from some of the original plan’s provisions provided that a realistic alternative is presented that preserves Israel’s security.

The initial Arab “vision” included establishing Arab financing, with the Gulf states as the main funder, while reconstruction projects will be implemented under direct Saudi supervision and with the participation of Egyptian, Turkish and Emirati companies.

However, the proposal does not include granting Gaza full sovereignty, and indicates the continuation of the status quo before 7 October 2023, meaning that Palestinians in Gaza will remain besieged with no sea or air outlet except through the Rafah border crossing with Egypt.

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