The meeting on Tuesday between Jordan’s King Abdullah II and US President Donald Trump led to tense anticipation of what is going to come subsequent for the Gaza Strip.
At stake was Trump’s suggestion that america “take over” the enclave and expel Palestinians to Egypt and Jordan.
King Abdullah talked about throughout an impromptu information convention that an alternate plan to rebuild Gaza with out ethnically cleaning it will be crafted by Arab nations, together with Egypt, which was already planning an emergency Arab summit on Gaza on February 27.
Hours later, Egypt issued a press release confirming it will current “a complete imaginative and prescient for rebuilding Gaza whereas making certain Palestinians stay on their land” and reiterated its dedication to working with the US to achieve “a simply settlement to the Palestinian situation”.
What’s at stake for Egypt?
“It’s laborious to know the way significantly to take Trump’s proposed US takeover of Gaza,” Jacob Eriksson, lecturer of post-war restoration research on the College of York, instructed Al Jazeera.
“If Trump persists, nevertheless, it may put Egypt in a troublesome place,” he added, referring to Trump’s threats that he would freeze assist funds to Egypt if it doesn’t cooperate.
“At a time when Egypt continues to face mounting financial challenges linked to debt and inflation, this might have a big impression.”
Since 1946, america has given Egypt greater than $85bn in bilateral international assist, together with army and financial help, in line with the American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt.
And Egypt was the fifth-largest recipient of US international assist in 2023, receiving $1.45bn, 85 % of which was for the army sector.
Egyptian journalist Hossam El-Hamalawy stated that the help Cairo receives “is a press release that Egypt is a detailed ally and is a associate for Washington” and signifies sturdy political backing from Washington.
However cash isn’t every thing.
Though international assist is important for the survival of the present Egyptian administration, so is inner political peace, which may very well be destabilised if the expulsion of Palestinians is allowed.
“Technology after era of Egyptian youth have had Palestine as their gateway into politics,” El-Hamalawy stated.
“As well as … [Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi] may be very fearful in regards to the replication of the Beirut situation the place Palestinian resistance operations in a method or one other gave Israel a justification to enter Lebanon and occupy chunks of it for a really very long time,” El-Hamalawy added, referring to Israeli assaults on Lebanon and occupation of its territory for various durations, together with at the moment.
Counter-offer
For now, till Trump stops speaking about forcing the displacement of Palestinians, el-Sisi has reportedly stated that he’ll not attend any talks on the White Home.
Egypt has little selection however to work with different Arab states on a counter-proposal that they will defend collectively.
“Any drastic motion may endanger vital agreements,” political analyst Abdallah Nasef, who believes Cairo must compromise a bit within the proposal, instructed Al Jazeera.
“Egypt may, much like Jordan, provide to absorb injured people and their households, albeit at a bigger charge and quantity than that proposed by Jordan,” Nasef advised.
King Abdullah stated on Tuesday that Jordan may “instantly” take 2,000 sick children.
Egypt has been treating injured Palestinians in its hospitals for the reason that begin of the battle, and can seemingly proceed to take action in bigger numbers when the crossing opens.
“Whereas any vital financial contribution to the reconstruction of Gaza is prone to show troublesome given aforementioned financial challenges, Egyptian officers … would undoubtedly proceed to supply its providers as a mediator and a political associate,” researcher Jacob Eriksson stated, uncertain of how a lot Egypt may financially contribute.
Reconstruction efforts
Israel has stated that it’s going to not compensate Palestinians or assist to pay to repair the harm it has wrought in Gaza. As an alternative, it will be as much as regional nations and the worldwide neighborhood to implement any plan put ahead by Egypt and Jordan.
“One can speculate that, positively, [this plan] will contain enlisting large quantities of money and funds from the Gulf … to hurry up the reconstruction course of for the Palestinians with out displacing them,” El-Hamalawy stated.
Egyptian development firms do seem able to cooperate with a global effort to rebuild Gaza. As an example, actual property and development tycoon Hisham Talaat Moustafa, stated in a TV interview on February 9 that he has been engaged on a reconstruction plan that might require the participation of about 40 to 50 development firms from Egypt and different nations.
“Egypt may contribute to reconstruction efforts whereas concurrently guaranteeing that Gazans don’t must be compelled out,” Nasef stated, including that “They received’t must if caravans and tents, which Israel continues to dam, are allowed into the Strip.” He agreed with El-Hamalawy, although, that Egypt’s efforts must be bankrolled by the Gulf, as a result of Egypt’s financial issues.
Gulf nations have performed a big position in funding the help reaching the Gaza Strip in the previous few months, with the Gulf Cooperation Council asserting in December that its member states – Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates – had collectively given $650m in humanitarian assist to Gaza, together with the occupied West Financial institution, since October 2023.
The reconstruction of Gaza, the place the overwhelming majority of buildings and infrastructure has been destroyed by Israel, will value much more.
However with Trump’s Gaza displacement plan complicating issues and a ceasefire deal in Gaza that has threatened to break down previously week, Arab nations are beneath stress to reply.
