An “Allayed” Arab Summit in Riyadh to Discuss Trump’s Proposal

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Riyadh is hosting on Friday a meeting of leaders from the Gulf Cooperation Council, Egypt, and Jordan, convened by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. However, many believe that this summit will not bring anything new, remaining more about noise than action.

Although the “lightened” summit will address a reconstruction plan for Gaza that stands as an alternative to former U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal to seize the territory and displace its inhabitants—a proposal that was widely rejected in the Arab world—analysts believe that there are little to no expectations for decisive resolutions to counter the threat of displacement that now concerns neighboring countries. No practical measures are likely to be taken to pressure the Trump administration into abandoning its plan.

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Some reports have suggested that certain cards, such as the oil issue or peace agreements, might be used to pressure the American side, but these expectations are unfounded, especially given the Arab leaders’ commitment to maintaining strong ties with the Trump administration and the importance of peace agreements for some countries.
A few voices even called on Arab leaders to repeat the oil embargo step from the 1967 war or to threaten withdrawal from peace agreements amid deteriorating Israeli-Egyptian relations, but these proposals seem out of place given the differing circumstances.

The Saudi news agency WAS noted that the meeting is “fraternal and informal,” and it comes in the context of the “friendly private meetings that have been regularly held for many years” among leaders of the GCC, Egypt, and Jordan.

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It also mentioned that the upcoming meeting will occur within the framework of the close fraternal relationships that bind these leaders, which contribute to enhancing cooperation and coordination between the GCC countries, Jordan, and Egypt.
Any decisions concerning joint Arab action will be made as part of the agenda for the upcoming emergency Arab summit to be hosted by Egypt in March.

Last Sunday, Assistant Secretary-General of the Arab League, Hossam Zaki, announced that a five-nation Arab meeting including Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE would be held in Riyadh before the emergency Arab summit in Cairo.

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In an interview on Egypt’s ON channel, Zaki explained that these five countries met specifically prior to the Cairo summit “because they have coordinated with one another since the onset of the Gaza war and have held numerous meetings at various levels, including ministerial ones.”
He added that this time they are meeting in Riyadh “to coordinate on the Egyptian ideas and proposals that will be presented at the Arab summit.”
During his remarks, Zaki indicated that it is possible that Palestine might be invited to the meeting that will discuss the general framework of the Egyptian proposal to be presented at the Arab summit—a proposal not mentioned by the Saudi news agency WAS in its Thursday statement.

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On Thursday, the Egyptian presidency announced that President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi had concluded his visit to Madrid, Spain, and had headed to Saudi Arabia on a trip expected to focus on a plan for Gaza’s reconstruction following Trump’s proposal.
Egypt also announced on Tuesday a new date for the emergency Arab summit on developments in Palestine – March 4 instead of February 27 – attributing the postponement to “preparatory and logistical reasons.”

Cairo emphasized that the summit’s goal is to reject the Israeli displacement plan adopted by the U.S. administration and to present a comprehensive Arab proposal in response.

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In a related development, Jordan’s King Abdullah II warned on Thursday of the dangers of escalation in the West Bank and occupied Jerusalem, reiterating his opposition to the displacement of Palestinians, during a meeting in Amman with a U.S. House delegation headed by Foreign Affairs Committee member Daril Issa, according to a statement from the Royal Court.

The King stressed the “need to intensify international efforts to achieve a just and comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution (Palestinian and Israeli),” noting the pivotal role of the United States in driving these efforts.

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He reaffirmed that the Kingdom rejects any attempts to displace Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank and stressed the importance of sustaining the ceasefire in Gaza and bolstering humanitarian response.

This past Sunday, during a meeting in Amman with a Congressional delegation led by Senator Richard Blumenthal, the King reiterated his rejection of Palestinian displacement, stressing the importance of ensuring the durability of the ceasefire in Gaza.

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