Arabs reject Trump plan, can't agree on any alternative

A preparatory conference meant to present a united Arab front against President Donald Trump's plan to relocate the Gazan population elsewhere revealed massive cracks in the coalition, according to a Kann report tonight (Tuesday).

Arab countries led by Egypt have been working hard to form a united regional coalition against the plan proposed by President Donald Trump to resolve the problem of war-torn Gaza.

According to the plan, the Gazan population, now displaced and living largely in tents or under rubble, would be relocated to other countries, where they would then live "permanently."

The Israeli government has expressed qualified support for this plan, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz both supporting the idea of government backing for Gazans who wish to voluntarily relocate elsewhere. Others, such as former National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, support conditioning this aid on Gazans not returning after leaving the Gaza Strip.

Al-Araby al-Jadid reports that the preparatory Arab conference aimed at presenting an alternative to Trump's plan revealed such deep disagreements regarding the "day after" for the Gaza Strip that the conference was unable to agree on any sort of series of resolutions on the subject, as is common in such conferences.

According to the sources speaking to al-Araby al-Jadid, the primary dispute revolves around the question of who will run the Gaza Strip after the war is over. Palestinian Authority President Abu Mazen insists on the PA taking over and even tried to enlist the aid of other Arab states such as Saudi Arabia to back him up.

However, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates oppose the idea of giving the Palestinian Authority the funds to rebuild the Gaza Strip. Egyptian leader a-Sisi prefers a temporary and independent body to effectively govern Gaza, which would be overseen by Egypt, Europe, and the Palestinian Authority.

Israel has not come out with its own plan for the day after, and has primarily stressed who it does not want to govern the Gaza Strip - Hamas or the Palestinian Authority. Ministers expressed an interest in an independent governing body supported by Arab states, but this never cohered into an official or binding government decision or resolution.