Lebanon
Aoun presses Palestinian envoy on camp disarmament
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun received a Palestinian delegation at Baabda Palace on Friday, led by Yasser Abbas, special representative of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
Arab-led Gaza plan gains EU support
1 min Mena Today
The foreign ministers of France, Germany, Italy, and Britain announced on Saturday their support for an Arab-backed plan to rebuild Gaza, which would cost $53 billion and ensure that Palestinians remain in the enclave without displacement.
The reconstruction proposal, drafted by Egypt and officially adopted by Arab leaders on Tuesday, has received firm backing from European countries © Mena Today
The foreign ministers of France, Germany, Italy, and Britain announced on Saturday their support for an Arab-backed plan to rebuild Gaza, which would cost $53 billion and ensure that Palestinians remain in the enclave without displacement.
In a joint statement, the ministers emphasized the realistic and sustainable nature of the proposal, which they believe could swiftly improve the dire living conditions of Palestinians in Gaza.
“The plan shows a realistic path to the reconstruction of Gaza and promises – if implemented – swift and sustainable improvement of the catastrophic living conditions for the Palestinians living in Gaza.”
The reconstruction proposal, drafted by Egypt and officially adopted by Arab leaders on Tuesday, has received firm backing from European countries. However, Israel and U.S. President Donald Trump have rejected the plan, with Trump instead proposing his own vision to transform the Gaza Strip into a ‘Middle East Riviera’.
The Egyptian initiative envisions the establishment of an independent administrative committee composed of Palestinian technocrats who would temporarily govern Gaza after the war between Israel and Hamas ends. This committee would be tasked with:
- Overseeing humanitarian aid distribution
- Managing day-to-day governance of the enclave
- Operating under the supervision of the Palestinian Authority (PA)
The joint statement from the four European nations underscores their commitment to working alongside Arab nations in implementing the proposal. They also highlighted the importance of the Palestinian Authority’s role in Gaza’s future governance.
"Hamas must neither govern Gaza nor be a threat to Israel anymore."
The European ministers stressed that they support the central role of the Palestinian Authority in Gaza’s future administration, emphasizing the need to implement necessary reforms to strengthen its governance.
A Diplomatic Challenge Ahead
The Arab-backed reconstruction plan represents a significant multinational effort to stabilize and rebuild Gaza, yet its implementation remains uncertain due to Israel’s firm rejection and Washington’s competing vision.
With European powers aligning with Arab states in support of the proposal, diplomatic efforts are expected to intensify in the coming weeks to secure consensus on Gaza’s post-war governance and recovery.
The future of the initiative now hinges on negotiations between key global and regional players, as the international community seeks to avert further humanitarian catastrophe and chart a sustainable path forward for Gaza.
By Oliver Bosquet
Related
Cyprus
Britain steps up Iran spy case with Cyprus extradition bid
Britain has asked Cyprus to extradite a dual British-Azerbaijani national suspected of spying on a British air base on the Mediterranean island and passing his findings to Iran's Revolutionary Guards, London police said on Friday.
Gaza
Trump claims breakthrough on Hamas, Israel noncommittal
U.S. President Donald Trump said talks in Cairo between mediators and Hamas leaders on Thursday have led to a phased disarmament agreement in Gaza, but a Hamas official described the deal as a draft and U.S. officials said Israel was skeptical the militant Palestinian group would surrender its weapons.
Subscribe to our newsletter
