Western and Arab leaders continued their disagreement over the future that lies ahead for Gaza, with leaders in the region adopting a comprehensive plan Tuesday for the post-war reconstruction and governance of the ruined Palestinian enclave only for the United States and Israel to immediately shoot it down, with the Trump administration saying the plan did not take into account the realities on the ground. File Photo by Anas Deeb/UPI |
License PhotoMarch 5 (UPI) — The United States dismissed a $53 billion, five-year reconstruction plan for Gaza backed by Arab states, saying President Donald Trump believed his proposal to transform the Palestinian enclave into a U.S.-owned “riviera of the Middle East” was more practical.
“The current [Arab states] proposal does not address the reality that Gaza is currently uninhabitable and residents cannot humanely live in a territory covered in debris and unexploded ordnance,” U.S. National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes said in a statement Tuesday night.
“President Trump stands by his vision to rebuild Gaza free from Hamas. We look forward to further talks to bring peace and prosperity to the region.”
Countries in the region had strongly objected to Trump’s vision because it requires the approximately 2 million Palestinians who remain in Gaza to be moved out of the strip to other countries, including Egypt and Jordan, to allow reconstruction to be carried out safely — amid uncertainty over whether they would be allowed to return.
Critically, the alternate plan adopted Tuesday by leaders of Arab League nations at a summit hosted by Egypt which centers on Hamas ceding control of Gaza to an interim administration until a reformed Palestinian Authority was able to form a government, would be implemented without displacing the population.
It calls for a six-month recovery phase during which temporary housing will be provided for 1.5 million displaced Palestinians across seven sites Gaza paving the way for a two-stage reconstruction program, a $20 billion first phase lasting two years followed by a two-and-a-half-year phase 2 costing $30 billion.
An AI-enhanced presentation released from the summit depicted modern housing developments and thriving city streets as well as blueprints for tourist infrastructure, including attractions and resorts, funded by the international community via organizations including the United Nations and by foreign direct investment from governments and the private sector.
Israel also moved quickly to reject the plan over its ultimate goal of bringing the Palestinian Authority back in to govern the territory following an interim administration of Palestinian technocrats, alleging the Fatah-backed authority — ousted from Gaza in 2007 following a war with Hamas — was corrupt and a supporter of terrorism.
Disagreement over the rival visions for Gaza’s future came as a shaky cease-fire between Israel and Hamas entered its seventh week amid rising tensions over what should happen next.
Hamas is pushing for a transition to a planned second phase that would see the fighting permanently halted and Israeli forces pull out of Gaza while Israel is trying to extend the initial phase, which officially expired Sunday, in order to get back more hostages before it’s too late.
On Tuesday, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar ruled out any progress toward a phase 2 without the “full demilitarization” Gaza and the return of all remaining hostages.
