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US President Donald Trump met Arab leaders and other heads of state on Tuesday to present what has been described as a “comprehensive plan” on Gaza.
It was not immediately clear if the participants agreed on a road map, but Arab officials and Mr Trump said ending the war in the Palestinian territories was a shared priority.
The meeting was convened at the invitation of the US President and brought together Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Tamim, Emir of Qatar, Jordan's King Abdullah II, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto, Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan.
“We’re going to work very hard on this. This is going to be my most important meeting,” Mr Trump said at the start of the meeting, adding that the leaders present were “the ones that can do it”.
He said the talks were pivotal, because “we’re going to end something that should have probably never started”.
Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim urged him to use his leadership to end the war in Gaza.
“The only reason we are here is to stop the war and bring the hostages back. And we count on you and your leadership to end this war and to help the people of Gaza. The situation is very, very bad there,” he told Mr Trump.
“So we are here to meet and to do everything we can to stop this war and to bring the hostages back.”
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that the discussions focused on “ending the ongoing bloody war in Gaza, reaching a sustainable and lasting ceasefire, securing the release of all hostages and detainees, and taking decisive steps towards addressing the worsening humanitarian crisis facing civilians in the Gaza Strip”.
During the meeting, Sheikh Abdullah commended President Trump's efforts to end the conflict, prevent further loss of life, alleviate the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza and secure the release of all hostages and detainees.
He reaffirmed the UAE’s “unwavering support for these efforts and for all initiatives that contribute to ending the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and achieving a peaceful settlement that ensures lasting peace and stability for the Palestinian and Israeli peoples, as well as for the wider region”, according to the statement.
Sheikh Abdullah also underscored the “importance of avoiding unilateral measures that undermine international efforts to realise the two-state solution and establish an independent Palestinian state”.
He further emphasised the need to “counter extremism and terrorism in all its forms, uphold the rule of law, and promote the values of tolerance, coexistence, and human fraternity across the region in a way that ensures the aspirations of its peoples for security, stability, prosperity, and sustainable development”.
Road map
Diplomats said the talks would focus on Gaza, with Mr Trump proposing a deal to end the conflict, tied to a development project when the war ends.
Washington has been discussing support for its plan with Qatar, Egypt and other Arab states. It would mean Hamas disarming, the release of hostages and Gaza governed by technocrats.
Although the final outline remains unclear, sources said Mr Trump wanted to float the idea of emptying parts of Gaza of its residents, with the promise they could return later. The National could not independently confirm this from US officials.
The talks follow a separate proposal advanced by former UK prime minister Tony Blair, centred on the creation of a Gaza International Transitional Authority to govern the strip for a limited period.
Mr Blair presented the idea to Mr Trump during a White House meeting in July, and British officials have promoted it as a possible draft framework at this week’s UN General Assembly. It remains uncertain if this is the plan Mr Trump wanted to present on Tuesday.
For months, international diplomats have worked with regional powers in the “Arab Quint” format – Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE – to forge a consensus on postwar governance, recovery and reconstruction. All parties in that grouping insist Hamas cannot play any role in a future Palestinian state.
Europeans are pushing for Hamas to be disarmed by Palestinian security authorities in a similar fashion to neighbouring Lebanon, where the Lebanese army has established a road map to work towards disarming regional militia Hezbollah. In the longer term, the hope is that a security mission similar to Nato's mission in Iraq will be posted in Gaza.
Momentum has also been building on Palestinian recognition. After French President Emmanuel Macron’s diplomatic push, Monaco and Denmark joined at the last minute, while Britain, Canada, Australia and Portugal announced recognition on Sunday. On Monday, they were joined by Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg, San Marino and Andorra.
Although most of the world already recognises Palestine, major western states have long resisted. France and the UK’s decisions carry particular weight as permanent members of the UN Security Council.
Israel has reacted angrily, denouncing recognition as a “gift to Hamas”. The US has backed Israel’s stance and denied visas to Palestinian leaders, including President Mahmoud Abbas. Addressing the UN by video link, Mr Abbas called for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and urged international backing for a reconstruction plan led by his Palestinian Authority.
Earlier this year, Mr Trump presented a plan in Washington alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that called for redeveloping Gaza and removing more than two million Palestinians – an idea that caused widespread outrage in the Arab world. Mr Netanyahu praised it as “revolutionary”.
A separate meeting on Tuesday brought together European and Arab officials to discuss the “day after” in Gaza, including ways of ending the war and sending international troops to the strip.
Meanwhile, the UN Security Council met to discuss Gaza, where Israel’s offensive has killed more than 65,300 Palestinians amid Israeli refusal to stop what has been described by UN investigators as genocide, before Hamas releases all the hostages.
