Following Israel’s devastating occupation of the Palestinian enclave, Arab states have adopted Egypt’s reconstruction plan for Gaza. This could pave the way for progress.
Egypt held an Arab League summit in Cairo on Tuesday, unveiling its strategy.
The proposed alternative to US President Donald Trump’s suggestion that the Gaza Strip be “depopulated” to “develop” the enclave, which opponents have called ethnic cleansing, is offered by the plan. Palestinians in Gaza wouldn’t be forced to leave the area in accordance with the Egyptian plan.
Trump had demanded that Egypt and Jordan remove the Palestinians who had been forced out of Gaza under his plan, but they were quickly turned down. The US has since indicated that it is interested in hearing what an Arab plan would be for post-war reconstruction in Gaza would be.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi predicted that Trump would be able to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict at the summit’s opening.
Based on Al Jazeera’s own reporting and drafts of the plan that were published by the Reuters news agency and the Egyptian newspaper Al-Ahram, here is everything you need to know about the plan.
What is demanded by the Egyptian plan?
The three main phases of the plan are governance, reconstruction, and interim measures.
The first stage would last roughly six months, while the second two phases would last for four to five years in total. 17 years after the Palestinian Authority (PA) in Gaza was kicked out following fighting between Fatah, which controls the PA, and Hamas, the goal is to rebuild Gaza, which Israel has almost completely destroyed, maintain peace and security, and reinstate the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) governance in Gaza.
How is Gaza to be rebuilt in the plan?
A committee of Palestinian technocrats working for the PA  would need to clear the rubble from Salah al-Din Street, the main north-south highway in the Gaza Strip, before a six-month interim period.
200 000 temporary housing units will be constructed in order to accommodate 1.2 million people and about 60 000 damaged structures will be rebuilt once the roads are clear.
The blueprint specifies that reconstruction that goes on for an additional four to five years after the interim measures are finished. The plan also aims to rebuild Gaza’s seaport and international airport over the course of that time frame.
Basic services like electricity, water, a waste system, telecommunication services, and waste management would all be gradually restored.
A Steering and Management Council, a financial institution that would provide financial support for the interim governing body in Gaza, is further suggested by the plan.
Additionally, conferences will be held to discuss how to provide the necessary funding for Strip reconstruction and long-term development.
Who would be in charge of Gaza?
In order to effectively replace Hamas, a group of “independent Palestinian technocrats” will be in charge of affairs in Gaza.
El-Sisi claims that the technocratic government would be in charge of coordinating humanitarian aid and facilitating the PA’s occupation of Gaza.
Elections are not included in the plan, but PA President Mahmoud Abbas asserted that if necessary, an election might take place next year at the summit on Tuesday.
Egypt and Jordan have both pledged to send Palestinian police officers there for training. The two nations have also requested that the UN Security Council approve a peacekeeping mission to monitor Gaza’s governance until reconstruction is complete.
What will the cost be?
Egypt wants $ 53 billion to be used to fund Gaza’s reconstruction, divided between three three-phase projects.
In the first six-month period, Salah al-Din Street would cost $3 billion to clear the rubble, build temporary housing, and repair partially damaged homes.
The second phase would cost $ 20 billion and take two years. In this stage, construction of utility networks, construction of more housing units, and the removal of rubble would all continue.
Phase three would take two and a half years and cost $30 billion. In addition to other services, it would include completing the construction of an airport, constructing fishing and commercial ports, and completing housing for Gaza’s entire population.
The funds will be sourced from a variety of international sources, including investments from foreign and private companies, as well as the United Nations and international financial organizations.
Will the strategy be successful?
A number of factors are still posing a risk to the plan. Most importantly, it’s possible that Hamas, Israel, or the United States won’t agree to it.
Hamas supported the reconstruction plan, and it has previously agreed to a technocratic government. Its acceptance of the PA, which would face the perception of its critics, has not been made clear, though. It is also uncertain if it will accept its return. Hamas may be willing to talk about its transition from power, but it is steadfast in opposition to disarmament, something the Arab League’s adopted Egyptian plan did not address.
Hamas will not be permitted to keep its weapons, as Israel has already stated, and that is a red line. However, Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel, has also stated that he won’t permit the PA to enter Gaza again.
Israel stated in response to the Egyptian plan’s adoption that Arab states “needed to break free from previous constraints and work together to create a future of stability and security in the region.” Instead, the Israeli foreign ministry’s statement supported Trump’s plan to depopulate Gaza, which is in line with the Israeli far-right’s long-standing call.
Additionally, is it uncertain whether US President Trump will abandon his concept of an Egyptian-controlled “Middle East Riviera” in favor of the Egyptian plan? How likely Trump’s position will be, especially if Israel publicly objects to the Egyptian plan.
