Synopsis
On February 22, Arab leaders gathered in Riyadh to discuss the Palestinian issue and Gaza's developments. The meeting focused on reconstruction efforts post-war and addressed concerns over a controversial US proposal to relocate Palestinians.Key Takeaways
- Arab leaders met in Riyadh to discuss Palestinian issues.
- The focus was on Gaza's reconstruction after the conflict.
- Trump's proposal to relocate Palestinians was widely rejected.
- The meeting was called by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
- Support for an upcoming Arab League summit was expressed.
Riyadh, Feb 22 (NationPress) Leaders from Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain convened in the capital of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, to deliberate on the Palestinian issue and the ongoing developments in the Gaza Strip, as reported by the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
The report characterized the gathering as a "consultative brotherly meeting" but did not disclose specific details. However, media outlets indicated that the discussions were primarily aimed at addressing Gaza's post-war reconstruction in response to a recent proposal by former US President Donald Trump to relocate Palestinians from the enclave and transform it into the "Riviera of the Middle East," a plan that has been widely rejected by Arab nations, according to Xinhua news agency.
Umer Karim, a scholar specializing in Saudi foreign policy, referred to the summit as the “most consequential” in decades for the broader Arab world and the Palestinian issue.
Trump's proposal sparked global outrage, suggesting that the United States should "take over the Gaza Strip" and relocate its 2.4 million residents to neighboring Egypt and Jordan.
As reported by SPA, the meeting was called by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud and included attendees such as Jordanian King Abdullah II, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Bahraini Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, and Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.
The leaders also voiced their support for the upcoming emergency Arab League summit, which is set to occur in Cairo on March 4, to discuss the latest developments concerning the Palestinians.
The Gaza Strip has suffered extensive damage after over a year of conflict between Israel and Hamas, with the United Nations recently estimating that the cost of rebuilding is over $53 billion.
