Saudi Arabia, Arab nations reject Trump proposal to expel Gazans ‘under any circumstances’

Egypt’s Foreign Minister (C) heads a meeting with ministers from Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE, in Cairo, on 1 February 2025

Jack Khoury, Rawan Suleiman and Ben Samuels with Reuters report in Haaretz on  1 February 2025:

Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, the Palestinian Authority and the Arab League issued a joint statement on Gaza on Saturday, rejecting U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to relocate Palestinians from the Gaza Strip.

In a joint statement following a meeting in Cairo, the foreign ministers rejected the transfer of Palestinians from their land “under any circumstances or justifications”, presenting a unified stance against Trump’s proposal for Egypt and Jordan to take in residents of the Gaza Strip.

The ministers added that they “look forward to working with the Trump administration to achieve a just Middle East peace based on a two-state solution.”

The entities also stressed the importance of UNRWA’s indispensable role, and said they reject any attempts to undermine it. They added they welcome Egypt’s plans with the UN to host an international forum focused on rebuilding Gaza.

Last Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump doubled down on his desire for Egypt and Jordan to take in displaced Palestinians from Gaza, 48 hours after his suggestion to “clean the whole place out” caused significant uproar across the world and rejection from the parties involved.

Shortly after speaking with Egypt President Abdel Fattah Al-Sissi, Trump said “I’d like to get them living in an area where they can live without disruption, revolution.” He further told the press pool that “when you look at the Gaza Strip, it’s been hell for so many years.” Trump noted this could be either a “temporary or long-term” solution.

Since first positing the idea last weekend, Trump has reaffirmed on three separate occasions his desire for Egypt and Jordan to fall in line. He has gone on to frame it in the context of “returning the favor” for matters the U.S. has previously done for both countries.

Egypt, for example, is the only country besides Israel granted an exception on foreign military financing within Trump’s 90-day aid pause. Trump’s special Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff told Axios earlier this week upon returning from the Middle East that he had not discussed the plan with Trump.

Egypt’s Sissi and Trump spoke on Saturday, the Egyptian presidency said, but it was unclear if they discussed Trump’s call for the transfer of Palestinians to Egypt and Jordan.

The presidency said in a statement they had a positive dialogue which stressed the importance of fully implementing the first and second phases of the ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas, and the need to step up humanitarian aid shipments to Gaza.

However, the statement did not mention if they discussed Trump’s call for Egypt to take Gazans in.  Sissi rejected the idea on Wednesday, describing it as an “act of injustice”. However, on Thursday Trump reiterated his call, saying that “we do a lot for them, and they are going to do it,” in an apparent reference to U.S. aid to both Egypt and Jordan.

In their call, Sissi and Trump also expressed their keenness to achieve peace and stability in the region, the Egyptian presidency statement said.  Sissi invited Trump to visit Egypt as soon as possible to discuss problems in the Middle East, the statement added. The two presidents also discussed the need to strengthen their economic and investment ties, it said.

The White House stated after the call that “The two leaders also discussed Egypt’s important role in the release of hostages from Gaza,” and the Egyptian president “expressed his confidence that President Trump’s leadership could usher in a golden age of Middle East peace.

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