Egypt is leading a diplomatic drive to convenes an Islamic summit to spread opposition to President Donald Trump’s plans in the Gaza Strip, a source explaining the effort told the public.
Trump says he wants to permanently replace Gaza’s 2.3 million Palestinians, rule the war-dead enclave and rebuild it as the “Middle Eastern Riviera.”
Sources said Saudi Arabia and Qatar are also involved in diplomatic efforts to hold a summit in 57 states of Islamic cooperation organisations based in Saudi Arabia.
The Islamic gathering will take place after the Arab summit in Cairo on February 27th, but an exact date has not been agreed, sources said. They added that it will take place in either Egypt or Saudi Arabia.
It is the latest in a series of diplomatic moves by Egypt to build wide international opposition to Trump’s proposal, demanding that Egypt and Jordan oust Palestinians from their homelands. He threatened to withdraw aid from two US allies if they refused.
The summit’s purpose is to present a unified, broad opposition front against Trump’s Gaza proposal, so that he is persuaded to drop the idea, officials said.
However, observers say this course of action is currently unlikely given the frequency with which the US president asserts his commitment to the plan.
Egypt has crossed the border with both Gaza and Israel, which signed the US-sponsored Peace Treaty in 1979, which has long been considered the cornerstone of regional stability. However, the treaty has been under stress since the Israel-Gaza War began in October 2023. Supporting Palestinians’ right to self-determination is a central board of Egyptian foreign policy and often has links to Israel.
“To bring together the Arab and Muslim worlds over Trump’s idea of Gaza is intended to put pressure on the US president and influence public opinion in the West,” one source said. Ta.
“What Trump proposed could possibly weaken and ultimately crumble as long as there is Arab-Islamic unity. At this point, it would be possible to revive the old feelings and ideas of Arab nationalism. It’s important. It’s the best defense of the Palestinian cause.”
Sources say the Arab summit will convene a meeting of international donors and local stakeholders on the reconstruction of Gaza, where most of the areas built by Israeli military campaigns have been wasted. He said he would adopt the proposal.