The member states of the Arab League will convene in Cairo on March 4th for a summit designed to counteract the aggressive declarations made by the United States president regarding the potential takeover and expulsion of Palestinians in Gaza. The meeting, organized by Egypt, aims to present a unified Arab stance that champions the rights of Palestinians and seeks to make Gaza livable again.
Explore what prompted this urgent meeting and the anticipated outcomes in the following sections.
Origins of This Urgent Summit
On February 5, U.S. President Donald Trump spoke of his intention to “take over” Gaza, proposing the displacement of Palestinians to Egypt and Jordan, and envisioning a “redevelopment plan” to transform the region into the “Riviera of the Middle East”. Egypt promptly dismissed this concept and announced plans to propose a comprehensive strategy for Gaza’s reconstruction while maintaining the Palestinian presence. Subsequently, on February 21, Egypt, Jordan, and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) gathered in Riyadh to set the agenda for the Cairo summit on March 4th.
Current Situation in Gaza
On the second day of Ramadan, Israel restricted the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, citing non-compliance by Hamas with a recent U.S. suggestion to extend the initial phase of the Gaza ceasefire. This dilemma blocks the progress to the second phase, which would have required Israel to pull its troops from Gaza. Hamas dismissed this proposal and urged the international community to apply pressure on Israel for compliance.
Agenda for March 4th
The plan outlined by former Egyptian diplomat Mohamed Hegazy is expected to cover a span of three to five years, divided into three segments: early recovery, rebuilding infrastructure, and housing reconstruction along with service provision, all aiming towards a two-state solution’s political path. This proposal confronts a key challenge: securing the necessary financing, as the United Nations estimated that over $50 billion would be required to rebuild Gaza.
Expectations from Participating Countries
Egypt, as the summit’s host and author of the reconstruction plan, will steer the discussion, with Jordan playing a pivotal role as a staunch supporter of Egypt’s proposal and opposed to any displacement. Syria is likely to focus on Israeli strikes within its territory, while GCC countries will be critical in terms of funding and endorsing the plan.
Historical Impact of Arab Summits on the Israel-Palestine Conflict
Previous Arab League summits have been significant in the Palestinian struggle: establishing the PLO in 1964 and later recognizing it as the sole representative of Palestinians, influencing the Oslo Accords. In 2002, the Arab Peace Initiative advocated for normalization with Israel contingent on its withdrawal to pre-1967 borders and the establishment of a Palestinian state. During the 2014 summit, a pledge of $5.4 billion was made to reconstruct Gaza post-conflict.
Post-Summit Strategies
After the summit concludes, further discussions are expected to address the financial and technical particulars of the agreed-upon strategy. Despite these plans, the uncertain status of the Gaza ceasefire and the dire situation facing Palestinians due to the blockade could mean that reconstruction efforts may be deferred as Qatar and Egypt endeavour to prevent the resumption of hostilities against Gaza.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/3/whats-the-emergency-arab-summit-on-gaza-reconstruction-everything-to-know?traffic_source=rss
