Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has invited the leaders of Gulf Arab countries, Egypt, and Jordan for a meeting in Riyadh on Friday, the Saudi state news agency SPA reported on Thursday.
Arab states have pledged to work on a post-war plan for the Gaza Strip‘s reconstruction to counter U.S. President Donald Trump‘s proposal to redevelop the enclave as an international beach resort after resettling its Palestinian inhabitants elsewhere.
Saudi Arabia said Friday’s meeting would be unofficial and held within “the framework of the close brotherly relations that bring together the leaders”, SPA said.
“As for joint Arab action and the decisions issued regarding it, it will be on the agenda of the upcoming emergency Arab summit that will be held in the sisterly Arab Republic of Egypt,” SPA added, referring to plans for an emergency Arab summit on March 4 to discuss the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Trump has called for Egypt and Jordan to take in resettled Palestinians from Gaza, a suggestion they both rejected. Arab states are not in favour of the US proposal and the discussions would be directed at finding a solution to the issue that Trump has raised. The leaders of Gulf Cooperation Council countries have also been invited. Similar informal meetings have been held in the past also. On 4th March the Extraordinary Arab Summit is scheduled in Cairo,
The meeting is likely to be a closed-door affair. The urgency with which it has been convened reflects the importance these nations give to the resettlement of Gazans. Gaza as another Riveria, sans Gazans, is barely acceptable in the region. Their resettlement in other countries is equally unwelcome.
The changing trends in global power balance has opened up a bigger arena for regional players. Such meetings, as has been convened, will test regional confluence to meet situations affecting their interests- often at cross-purposes.
Brig SK Chatterji (Reuters)
(With Inputs from Reuters)
