The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has officially endorsed the Arab League’s counter-proposal to former U.S. President Donald Trump’s controversial Gaza takeover plan, two ministers confirmed to AFP on Friday.
The decision, made during an emergency meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, follows the Arab League’s ratification of the proposal in Cairo three days earlier.
Egypt’s Alternative to Gaza Takeover Gains Support
Egypt’s plan, which opposes Trump’s widely criticized proposal to take over Gaza and displace its residents, focuses on rebuilding the Gaza Strip under the administration of the Palestinian Authority (PA).
“The emergency ministerial meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation adopted the Egyptian plan, which has now become an Arab-Islamic plan,” said Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty. His Sudanese counterpart echoed this statement.
Abdelatty described the endorsement as a significant and positive development.
Trump’s Controversial Gaza Plan Sparks Global Outrage
Trump’s controversial proposal suggested that the United States take control of Gaza and transform it into the “Riviera of the Middle East”, forcibly relocating Palestinians to Egypt or Jordan. The proposal has been met with strong resistance from Arab and Muslim nations.
During the Arab League summit in Cairo, leaders announced the creation of a trust fund to support Gaza’s reconstruction, urging the international community to contribute.
“The next step is for the plan to become an international initiative through adoption by the European Union, Japan, Russia, China, and others,” Abdelatty said.
“We are actively engaging with all parties, including the United States.”
US, Israel Reject Egypt’s Plan
Despite broad Arab and Islamic backing, Washington and Israel have rejected Egypt’s counter-proposal, as it does not include a role for Hamas, the group governing Gaza.
State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said the plan “does not meet Washington’s expectations.”
However, Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff took a more positive stance, calling Egypt’s plan a “good-faith first step.”
Building Global Support Against Palestinian Displacement
Egypt is now working to expand international support for its proposal.
“This is an attempt to build a broad coalition that refuses the displacement of Palestinians from Gaza,” said Rabha Seif Allam, a researcher at the Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies in Cairo.
The Arab world has unified in opposition to Trump’s plan, with Saudi Arabia hosting Arab leaders two weeks ago to discuss alternative solutions.
OIC Readmits Syria
In a separate decision, the OIC voted to reinstate Syria, a country suspended in 2012 at the height of the civil war under President Bashar al-Assad.
“This decision represents an important step toward Syria’s return to the regional and international communities as a free and just state,” the Syrian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
This development signals a broader diplomatic shift in the Middle East as nations work toward regional stability.
