U.S. President Donald Trump presented a 21-point plan to Arab and Muslim leaders aimed at ending Israel’s ongoing war on the Gaza Strip, which has lasted for two years.
اضافة اعلان
The announcement came during a meeting on Tuesday evening, on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
U.S. Middle East Envoy Steve Whitkoff stated at the Concordia 25 conference in New York on Wednesday evening that “Trump’s plan includes 21 points.”
He added, “We are optimistic, even confident, that we will announce an achievement in the coming days,” without revealing further details.
However, Israel’s Channel 12 cited two unnamed sources indicating that Trump stressed during the meeting with Arab and Muslim leaders the “urgent need to end the war.” The report noted that Trump emphasized that presenting the plan’s principles was necessary because the ongoing war increases Israel’s international isolation.
Key Points of the Plan
According to the Israeli channel, the main elements of the plan include releasing all remaining Israeli prisoners, establishing a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, and a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Strip.
The plan also proposes forming a post-war administration that excludes Hamas, a security force comprising Palestinians and soldiers from Arab and Muslim countries, and providing Arab and Muslim funding to rebuild Gaza and manage its affairs, with partial involvement from the Palestinian Authority.
The channel reported that Trump asked Arab and Muslim leaders to support these principles and commit to participating in the post-war plan.
Positions and Conditions
Conversely, Arab and Muslim leaders reportedly set conditions for supporting the plan, including Israel’s commitment not to annex any parts of the West Bank or Gaza, not to build settlements in the Strip, to halt measures undermining the status quo at Al-Aqsa Mosque, and to immediately increase humanitarian aid to Gaza.
The report added that Trump assured the leaders he would not allow Israel to annex the occupied West Bank.
He also intends to present the plan’s principles to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a scheduled White House meeting next Monday to secure his support. Israeli officials reportedly said Netanyahu is aware of the U.S. principles, and that his strategic affairs minister, Ron Dermer, recently discussed them with Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
U.S. Assurance
According to Politico, citing six sources, Trump promised Arab and Muslim leaders that he would not allow Israel to annex the West Bank.
One source said Trump was “firm” on the issue, assuring that the West Bank, under Palestinian Authority administration, “will not be swallowed by Israel.”
In July, the Israeli Knesset approved a majority-backed declaration supporting the annexation of the West Bank, amid calls from Likud ministers and Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana to implement annexation “immediately.”
Another source told the American newspaper that a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel in Gaza is unlikely.
Reactions
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan described the meeting as “productive” in an interview with Fox News, without disclosing further details.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, who did not attend, praised Trump’s efforts, describing the plan as “an important foundation on which to build peace in the near future.”
After the meeting, Trump told reporters: “My meeting with Arab and Muslim leaders on Gaza was great. This is the most important meeting I’ve held because we are going to end something that should never have happened,” without providing details.
Arab and Muslim leaders issued a joint statement after the meeting, emphasizing the necessity of ending the war in Gaza, releasing Israeli prisoners, and delivering sufficient humanitarian aid as a first step toward a just and lasting peace.
Attendees included Presidents Erdoğan and Indonesia’s Prabowo Subianto, Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad, King Abdullah II of Jordan, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Egypt’s Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly, and foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia (Faisal bin Farhan) and the UAE (Abdullah bin Zayed).
