••Proposal Counters Trump’s Resettlement Plan, Prioritizes Security and Governance.
By Mercy Okpe, Lagos.
Arab nations are drafting a comprehensive plan to rebuild Gaza without displacing its population. The initiative, led by Saudi Arabia, aims to ensure security, governance, and stability in the region.
Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi confirmed the plan at the Munich Security Conference, emphasizing that Arab nations will not accept the displacement of Palestinians. Safadi’s remarks came in response to US President Donald Trump’s proposal to resettle Palestinians from Gaza in Jordan and Egypt, which was swiftly rejected by both countries.
The Arab plan is seen as a direct challenge to Trump’s resettlement proposal and prioritizes the needs and rights of the Palestinian people. As diplomatic efforts intensify, the coming weeks will be crucial in determining the future of Gaza and the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Safadi’s remarks came in response to US President Donald Trump’s controversial proposal to “clean out” Palestinians from Gaza and resettle them in Jordan and Egypt—an idea that was swiftly and strongly rejected by Cairo and Amman.
“Just to answer you unequivocally, 35% of our population are refugees. We cannot afford any more,” Safadi stated. “We cannot have Palestinians coming to Jordan. They don’t want to come to Jordan, and we don’t want them to come to Jordan.”
King Abdullah of Jordan visited Washington on February 11, where he reaffirmed his country’s “steadfast position” against Trump’s resettlement proposal.
Israel, which considers the West Bank part of a broader conflict involving Iranian-backed groups, has launched military operations in response to rising instability. Thousands of Palestinians have been displaced amid widespread destruction following Israeli military actions.
According to European diplomatic sources, the King told Trump that the Arab plan would be “cheaper and faster” than the US initiative—a point the American president appeared receptive to.
Saudi Arabia is leading an urgent Arab effort to draft a future plan for Gaza, aiming to counter Trump’s vision of a “Middle East Riviera” cleared of Palestinians, according to sources familiar with the discussions.
“We are working on an Arab proposal that will show that we can rebuild Gaza without displacing its people,” Safadi emphasized. “Israel also has to think long-term. For it to live in peace and security, its neighbors need to live in peace and security.”
While the focus remains on Gaza, Safadi warned of escalating tensions in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, describing it as a “powder keg that could explode.”
