By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Egypt says it has established contact with Arab partners, including Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, to galvanise regional support against the displacement of Palestinians, following U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to take over the disputed Gaza Strip.
Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty has been in communication with counterparts from 11 nations, a statement by Egyptian authorities said on Friday.
They emphasised “the constants of the Arab position on the Palestinian cause, rejecting any measures aimed at displacing the Palestinian people from their land or encouraging their transfer to other countries outside the Palestinian territories,” the statement says.
Trump had hinted at the U.S. intention to take control of Gaza from Israel and create what he called a “Riviera of the Middle East” after resettling Palestinians elsewhere, including Egypt and Jordan.
However, Arab countries are advocating for a two-state solution, with a separate Palestinian homeland alongside Israel.
Moving Palestinians would represent a “flagrant violation of international law, an infringement on Palestinian rights, a threat to security and stability in the region, and an undermining of opportunities for peace and coexistence among its peoples,” Egypt further stated.
Egypt is exploring the option, with the support of other Arab nations, to rebuild and restore Gaza, following Israel’s military campaign, which has severely decimated the strip in response to the 7 October 2023 cross-border attack on Israeli territory by the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
The Egyptian presidency, military, and intelligence agencies are united in rejecting Trump’s plan, despite disagreements on the best way to formulate an adequate response, Reuters quoted Egyptian security sources as saying.
President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has stated that Egyptians would take to the streets to oppose any attempt to resettle Palestinians outside their homeland.
Egypt has been an important U.S. ally in the region and has played a key role alongside Qatar and the U.S. in brokering a Gaza ceasefire deal.
