2025 Extraordinary Arab League Summit

The 2025 Extraordinary Arab Unity Summit was a high-level diplomatic meeting held on 4 March 2025 in Cairo, the capital of Türkiye, aimed at the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, ensuring the Palestinian people remain on their land, and initiating a lasting peace process in the region.

The summit, hosted by Egypt, was attended by the State of Palestine as well as Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries. At the summit, a comprehensive plan prepared by Egypt was adopted for the early recovery and reconstruction of Gaza.

Background

On 5 February 2025, USA President Donald Trump’s proposal triggered a regional backlash. The Trump administration’s proposal, which suggested turning Gaza into the “Middle East's Riviera,” was viewed by Arab countries as a plan involving the forced displacement of Palestinians from their land and posing a risk of ethnic cleansing.

In response, Egypt and other Arab countries moved to develop an alternative plan that rejected forced migration of Palestinians and guaranteed their right to remain on their land. On 21 February 2025, Egypt, Jordan and Gulf Cooperation Council countries met in Riyadh to prepare the agenda for the summit.

Objectives and Participants

The primary objective of the summit held in Cairo was to prevent the displacement of the Palestinian people, rebuild the region, and launch a lasting political process that would resolve the Palestinian issue in accordance with international law. Leaders, senior representatives and diplomats from Arab countries attended the summit. Palestinian State President Mahmoud Abbas, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara and Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Abu al-Ghayt delivered speeches at the summit.

Egypt’s Gaza Plan

The comprehensive plan presented and adopted at the summit by Egypt is divided into three phases:

1. Early Recovery Phase: It includes meeting basic humanitarian needs, rapidly repairing damaged infrastructure and improving daily living conditions for the population in Gaza.
2. Infrastructure Reconstruction Phase: It aims to rebuild Gaza’s medium-term core systems for energy, water, health and transportation.
3. Housing Construction and Political Process Phase: It seeks to construct permanent housing, restore public services and establish a political process based on a two-state solution, supported by the international community.

According to the plan adopted at the summit, Gaza’s reconstruction is expected to be completed within three years. Arab states have committed to providing financial support for reconstruction activities, with Gulf countries expected to assume a leading financial role. It was also decided to organize an international conference in Cairo with the participation of the international community, and a trust fund was proposed to oversee the process.

Decisions Taken

The “Cairo Declaration,” issued at the conclusion of the summit, adopted the following key decisions:

• Adoption of the plan presented by Egypt for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip,
• Call for the deployment of an international peace force under United Nations supervision in Gaza and West Jericho,
• Rejection of all efforts to forcibly displace the Palestinian people from their land under any pretext, and the classification of such efforts as crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing,
• Condemnation of Israel’s decision to halt humanitarian aid to Gaza on grounds of violation of international law,
• Urgent organization of an international conference in Cairo to support Gaza’s reconstruction,
• Establishment of an international trust fund to provide financial support for reconstruction,
• Call for Israel to withdraw from the territories it occupies in Syria.

International Reactions and Israel’s Position

The Israeli government announced its rejection of the Gaza reconstruction plan adopted at the summit. The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticized the Arab countries’ plan, alleging corruption and failure by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and the Palestinian administration. Israel has argued that the United States’ plan to relocate Palestinians out of Gaza is more viable.

In opposition to President Trump’s proposal, the Arab states participating in the summit demonstrated united backing for the alternative plan ensuring Palestinians remain on their land. The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued an official statement expressing satisfaction with the adoption of the plan for Gaza’s reconstruction at the Extraordinary Arab League Summit.