Saudi Arabia will host a summit on February 20 with the leaders of Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, and the UAE to discuss U.S. President Donald Trump’s controversial plan for the U.S. to take control of Gaza and relocate over two million Palestinians. This summit will precede an Arab League meeting in Cairo on February 27 on the same matter.
The Palestinian Authority President, Mahmud Abbas, is also expected to attend, according to sources.
Trump’s plan, which includes moving Palestinians out of Gaza to countries like Egypt or Jordan, has sparked global outrage. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has suggested Saudi Arabia might also host Palestinians, a remark that has faced strong condemnation from the Arab world, although some Israeli media dismissed it as a joke.
Arab countries are united in their opposition to the mass displacement of Palestinians, an issue that evokes memories of the 1948 “Nakba” when Palestinians were displaced during the creation of Israel.
Trump has warned that the U.S. may cut vital aid to Egypt and Jordan if they do not support the plan. Jordan, home to over two million Palestinian refugees, has a population in which more than half is of Palestinian origin. Meanwhile, Egypt has proposed a reconstruction plan for Gaza that would allow Palestinians to remain in the territory.
