Arab countries are racing to put together their own vision for post-war Gaza in a bid to prevent an American intervention [Getty]
The USÂ will convene a summit with regional real estate developers to discuss the Wasgington’s shock plans to reconstruct Gaza, US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff said on Tuesday.
“We’re going to conduct a summit pretty soon with probably the biggest developers in the Middle East region, many of the Arab developers, lots of master planners,” he said at a gathering of the American Jewish Committee in Washington.
“I think when people see some of the ideas that come from this, they’re going to be amazed.”
Trump sparked outrage last month after he announced plans for the US to “take over” Gaza and expel the Palestinians as part of plans to reconstruct the shattered territory as the “Riviera of the Middle East”.
His comments were condemned around the world as a proposal for ethnic cleansing, and Arab countries are racing to agree on a rival reconstruction plan and ward off a potentially US American intervention in the conflict.
Egypt, which together with Jordan is facing pressure from the US president to take in Gaza’s 2.2 million inhabitants, is engaging with European and Arab countries to put together a “comprehensive vision” for the Palestinian territory, which could receive up to $20 billion in funding from Arab states.
Regional leaders will gather in Cairo on 4 March for an emergency Arab League summit which is expected to finalise the plan.
Witkoff tried to assuage concerns about the displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, telling the gathering that “we’re not talking about an eviction” but that it would not be possible for residents to remain while the enclave is being rebuilt.
“It has nothing to do with relocation… right now, it’s a long-term redevelopment plan. Once the Saudis, the UAE, Egyptians reincorporate that into their thinking, you’ll see plans more aligned with the president’s,” he said.
Witkoff – himself a major real estate investor – has been Trump’s primary negotiator in the Middle East conflict, and played a key role in securing the ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel in January.
His comments came a week after Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner said he and Witkoff held discussions about bringing real estate executives on board to reconstruct Gaza.
“We talk about convening people together from all parts of the world, master planners and developers and architects, talking about ideas and so forth,” he told a business meeting in Miami hosted by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund.
Kushner served as an advisor to Donald Trump during his first term in office but has not reprised his role in the second Trump administration.
Witkoff could join ceasefire talks this week
Witkoff will travel to the Middle East on Sunday to join the discussions for the second stage of the ceasefire if negotiators make progress in high-stakes talks expected to take place in Doha or Cairo.
“If initial negotiations go positively, where we set boundaries and contours of what we want to talk about, maybe I would be able to go on Sunday to execute and finish an arrangement,” he told the event.
“That’s what we’re hoping for. Stage 2 on track, some additional hostage release. We think it’s a real possibility.”
The US, together with Qatar and Egypt, jointly mediated the six-week, first-phase truce that came into effect on 19 January.
The three countries are now trying to broker an agreement to enter the second stage, which would see the release of the remaining Israeli captives, Israeli forces withdraw from Gaza, and a permanent end to the war.
Israel – which has delayed the start of phase-two talks – is pushing to extend the first stage and avoid discussing an end to the war.
Israel’s onslaught on Gaza has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians, though that figure rises to more than 61,000 when including the thousands believed to be buried under the rubble.
