Tuesday’s meeting between King Jordan, Abdullah II and American president Donald Trump, ended with a tense wait for what will then happen for the Gaza Strip.
The stake was Trump’s suggestion that the United States “takes” the enclave and expel the Palestinians to Egypt and Jordan.
King Abdullah mentioned during an impromptu press conference that an alternative plan to rebuild Gaza without ethnically cleaning that it would be developed by the Arab countries, including Egypt, which already provided for an Arab Emergency Summit Gaza on February 27.
A few hours later, Egypt published a declaration confirming that it would present “a complete vision of the reconstruction of Gaza while ensuring that the Palestinians remain on their land” and reiterated its commitment to work with the United States for Conclude “just a settlement to the Palestinian question”.
What is at stake for Egypt?
“It is difficult to know how much the American Trump Gaza takeover of the Gaza of Trump,” Jacob Eriksson, a lecturer in post-war recovery studies at the University of York, told Tel Aviv Tribune.
“If Trump persists, however, it could put Egypt in a difficult position,” he added, referring to the threats of Trump that he freezes Egypt’s assistance funds if he does not cooperate not.
“At a time when Egypt continues to deal with growing economic challenges linked to debt and inflation, this could have a significant impact.”
Since 1946, the United States has given Egypt more than $ 85 billion in bilateral foreign aid, including military and economic aid, according to the American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt.
And Egypt was the fifth recipient of US foreign aid in 2023, receiving $ 1.45 billion, including 85% for the military sector.
Egyptian journalist Hossam El-Hamalawy said that the help that Cairo receives “is a statement that Egypt is a close ally and is a partner for Washington” and means strong political support from Washington.
But the money is not everything.
Although foreign support is vital for the survival of the current Egyptian administration, internal political peace is also destabilized if the expulsion of the Palestinians is authorized.
“The generation after the generation of young Egyptians had Palestine as a political bridge,” said El-Hamalawy.
“In addition … (Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sissi) is very worried about the replication of Beirutian scenario where Palestinian resistance operations in one way or another have given Israel a justification to enter Lebanon and Occupying songs for a very long time in Israel, “added El-Hamalawy, referring to Israeli attacks against Lebanon and the occupation of its territory for different periods, including today.
Counter-offer
For the moment, until Trump ceases to speak of forcing the displacement of the Palestinians, El-Sissi said that he would not attend any maintenance at the White House.
Egypt has no choice but to work with other Arab states to a counter-proposition that they can defend together.
“Any drastic action could endanger important agreements,” the political analyst Abdallah Nasef told Tel Aviv Tribune, who thinks Cairo will have to compromise a little in the proposal.
“Egypt could, similar to Jordan, offer to take injured people and their families, although a higher pace and number than that proposed by Jordan,” Nasef suggested.
King Abdullah said on Tuesday that Jordan could “immediately” take 2,000 sick children.
Egypt has treated the Palestinians injured in its hospitals since the start of the war and will probably continue to do so in greater numbers at the opening of the crossing.
“Although any important economic contribution to the reconstruction of Gaza is likely to be difficult given the above -mentioned economic challenges, Egyptian officials … would undoubtedly continue to offer its services as a mediator and political partner,” said Declared researcher Jacob Eriksson, doubt could contribute financially.
Reconstruction efforts
Israel said that he would not compensate the Palestinians or would not help pay to resolve the damage he caused in Gaza. Instead, it would be up to regional countries and the international community to implement any plan proposed by Egypt and Jordan.
“We can speculate that, definitively, this plan) will involve recruiting massive quantities of money and finance in the Gulf … to accelerate the reconstruction process for the Palestinians without moving them,” said El-Hamalawy.
Egyptian construction companies seem ready to cooperate with an international effort to rebuild Gaza. For example, the Hisham Talaat Moustafa real estate and construction magnate, said in a television interview on February 9 that it had worked on a reconstruction plan which would require the participation of around 40 to 50 construction companies ‘Egypt and other countries.
“Egypt could contribute to reconstruction efforts while simultaneously guaranteeing that the Gazans do not need to be forced to go out,” said Nasef, adding that “they will not have if caravans and tents, That Israel continues to block, is authorized to enter the band. “However, he agreed with El-Hamalawy that Egypt’s efforts should be funded by the Gulf, due to Egypt’s economic problems.
Gulf countries have played an important role in the financing of aid reaching the Gaza Strip in recent months, the Gulf Cooperation Council announcing in December that its Member States – Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Arabia Saudi and the United Arab Emirates – had collectively gave $ 650 million in humanitarian aid in Gaza, with the occupied West Bank since October 2023.
The reconstruction of Gaza, where the vast majority of buildings and infrastructure have been destroyed by Israel, will cost much more.
But with the Trump Gaza travel plan complicating the questions and a cease-fire agreement in Gaza which threatened to collapse during last week, the Arab countries are under pressure to answer.
