Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit on Wednesday warned that the plan of U.S. President Donald Trump to take over Gaza and resettle Palestinians, which has drawn global condemnation, will threaten a fragile ceasefire in the enclave and fuel regional instability in the Middle East.
While addressing the World Government Summit in Dubai, Gheit said that if Trump pressed ahead with his plan, he would lead the Middle East into a new cycle of crises with a damaging effect on peace and stability.
Media Talk Africa reports that Trump infuriated the Arab world by unexpectedly declaring that the United States would take over Gaza, resettle its over 2-million Palestinian population, and develop it into the Riviera of the Middle East.
After 16 months of Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza war following Hamas’ attacks on Israel in October 2023, Palestinians fear a repeat of the catastrophe when nearly 800,000 people fled or were driven out during the 1948 war that led to the creation of Israel. Trump has said they would have no right to return.
“If the situation explodes militarily once more, all this (ceasefire) effort will be wasted,” Aboul Gheit said.
Meanwhile, Jasem al-Budaiwi, who heads the oil-rich Gulf Cooperation Council political and economic alliance, urged Trump to remember the strong ties between the region and Washington.
“But there has to be give and take; he says his opinion, and the Arab world should say theirs. What he is saying won’t be accepted by the Arab world,” al-Budaiwi said.
