The Muslim world is being urged to rally behind an Arab-led counterproposal to U.S. President Donald Trump’s widely criticized plan for Gaza at an emergency meeting on Friday.
Foreign ministers from the 57-member Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) are set to convene at the body’s headquarters in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, just days after the Arab League endorsed Egypt’s alternative proposal for Gaza.
At Tuesday’s summit in Cairo, Arab leaders supported a plan to rebuild the Gaza Strip under the future administration of the Palestinian Authority.
However, the proposal, which excludes any role for Hamas—the current governing body in Gaza—was rejected by both the United States and Israel.
Washington has dismissed the plan as inadequate, with State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce stating on Thursday that it “does not meet the expectations” of the U.S.
In contrast, Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff offered a more conciliatory response, describing it as a “good-faith first step from the Egyptians.”
Trump provoked global backlash by proposing that the U.S. should “take over” Gaza and transform it into the “Riviera of the Middle East,” while relocating its Palestinian residents to Egypt or Jordan.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, whose country has been mediating ceasefire talks between Hamas and Israel, stated that Cairo would seek OIC backing to position the counterproposal as both an Arab and Islamic initiative.
“The primary objective of the meeting is to secure endorsement for the Arab plan,” a Pakistani diplomat told AFP on condition of anonymity. “At this critical moment, the Islamic world must present a united front against the American proposal.”
The Jeddah meeting is expected to reinforce unity among Muslim nations, according to Umar Karim, a Saudi foreign policy expert at the University of Birmingham.
Rabha Seif Allam, a researcher at the Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies in Cairo, emphasized that “Egypt needs broad support” for its plan. “This effort aims to build a strong coalition rejecting the displacement of Palestinians from Gaza,” she explained.
Trump’s proposal has already united Arab nations in opposition, with Saudi Arabia hosting Arab leaders two weeks ago to discuss possible alternatives.
“Larger Muslim countries such as Indonesia, Turkiye, and Iran will be present, and their endorsement will further strengthen the Arab plan,” Karim added.
The Arab League summit also announced the creation of a trust fund to finance Gaza’s reconstruction and called on the international community to support it.
