US President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff has rejected a three to five year timeline for the reconstruction of Gaza, as proposed in a temporary truce agreement. The plan, which aims to relocate displaced Palestinians to neighboring Egypt and Jordan, has been met with rejection from Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and other Arab nations.
The move is part of Trump’s efforts to pressure Hamas and Israel into a ceasefire agreement, but it undercuts his desire for normalization with Saudi Arabia. Senior administration officials continue to push the relocation plan on humanitarian grounds, citing the need to rebuild Gaza and address the presence of unexploded ordnance in the area.
However, Palestinian leaders and critics argue that the plan is unfair and does not account for the long-term prospects of a Palestinian state. The United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and other countries have joined Egypt and Jordan in rejecting the relocation plan, citing concerns about the impact on regional stability.
As Trump prepares to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, tensions are rising between the US and Israel over the future of the Gaza peace agreement. Netanyahu’s coalition is under pressure from hard-right members who want to abandon the ceasefire, while Trump remains committed to his plan despite opposition from Arab nations.
The meeting will also touch on a long-sought normalization deal with Saudi Arabia, which has been conditioned on an end to the war and a credible pathway to a Palestinian state. Experts warn that the outcome of the talks could have significant implications for regional stability and US-Israeli relations.
Source: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/trumps-middle-east-envoy-says-gaza-rebuilding-timeline-in-israel-hamas-truce-preposterous