Israel’s rejection and America’s reservations -- framed as the Egyptian-Arab plan failing to meet expectations -- raise a critical question: What exactly were the Israelis and Americans expecting from the Arabs in Gaza’s reconstruction plan?
Did the Trump-Netanyahu duo anticipate that the Arabs would concede the greatest threat to their national security just to enable Trump’s displacement project?
Did they expect Arab nations to willingly drown themselves in a new wave of refugee crises, even as the world increasingly recognizes the inevitability of a Palestinian state?
The Arab summit, which endorsed and adopted the Egyptian plan, seized the reins of the initiative and laid the foundation for an effort beyond merely rebuilding Gaza.
This moment presents an opportunity to elevate Arab collective action to an entirely new stage, one defined by independent decision-making and strategic strength, capable of countering both American disregard for them and Israel’s continued aggression against them.
In the era of Trump, the most powerful move the Arabs can make is to act against American expectations -- expectations rooted in the assumption that they remain passive and predictable, mere pieces in Washington’s pocket.
Recent Arab summits, from the extraordinary gathering in Cairo to the upcoming Baghdad summit, must send a clear message: The era of marginalization and underestimation is over.
When Arabs assert their presence, when they make it impossible to ignore their role in shaping the region’s future, America and Israel will be forced to reckon with them.
In Cairo, the Arabs laid the foundation. The next, and most crucial step, is ensuring that this plan is not just implemented but serves as a turning point -- one that asserts Arab independence, sovereignty, and control over their own land and destiny.
Yousef Ramadan is the Ambassador of Palestine to Bangladesh.
