Arab summit adopts Egypt’s Gaza reconstruction plan
An Arab summit convened in Cairo on Tuesday adopted an Egyptian plan for the reconstruction of Gaza, Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said during a closing statement.
The plan aims to counter US President Donald Trump’s proposals for a “Middle East Riviera” by presenting a scheme for rebuilding the devastated Gaza Strip without displacing its population.
Palestinian PM gives glimpse into $53bn Arab plan for Gaza
Speaking at the conclusion of the Arab summit, Mohammad Mustafa has been asked by a reporter how the $53bn in funds called for in the plan would be raised.
While we don’t have the official details of the plan yet, Mustafa gave some insights in his answer.
Here is what he said:
“We will seek support from Egypt and Jordan to reform the police forces in Gaza.”
“The matter of reconstruction is the responsibility of an independent authority or entity that would be established by the Palestinian Authority with a board of directors with international supervision, and all the funds would go to an international find, most likely with the World Bank … to ensure transparency.”
“The reconstruction will have its own governance mechanisms and systems.”
“As for rasing funds, of course, it’s a great challenge, but there is keen interest to contribute in the reconstruction effort.”
Arab League chief says Egypt’s Gaza plan ‘fully backed’ by Arab states
The international organisation’s secretary-general, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, has said the summit in Cairo had two objectives before it gathered.
“The first was to reiterate the collective Arab opposition, rejecting the proposition for displacement [of the Palestinians in Gaza] under any pretext or label,” he said.
“The other objective was to give clear, practical and realistic alternatives to the proposal of evacuating the Palestinians,” the secretary-general added.
He also said the plan on the table – developed by Egypt in collaboration with Palestine – has become an Arab plan after being approved by the summit.
“It is fully backed by all the Arab states,” Ahmed Aboul Gheit concluded.
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