The UAE ambassador to the US, Yousef al-Otaiba, stated that he saw “no alternative” to US President Donald Trump’s plan to expel Gaza’s residents, seize control of the strip, and redevelop it.
Speaking at the World Government Summit in Dubai on February 12, Otaiba was asked whether the UAE could find “common ground” with Washington on the issue. He responded, “We’re gonna try. I think the current approach is going to be difficult, but at the end of the day, we’re all in the solution-seeking business. We just don’t know where it’s gonna land yet.”
When questioned about whether the UAE had an alternative proposal, he admitted, “Not yet. I don’t see an alternative to what’s being proposed, I really don’t. And so, if someone has one, we’re happy to discuss it, we’re happy to explore it. But it hasn’t surfaced yet.”
Trump announced last week that the US would “take over” Gaza and relocate its population to neighbouring countries, arguing that the plan aimed to provide a safer environment for Palestinians while international teams spearheaded reconstruction efforts. However, the US president later declared that Palestinians would not be allowed to return to Gaza, a stance quickly endorsed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Trump has urged Jordan and Egypt to absorb Gaza’s population, an idea both Arab nations have firmly rejected. Egypt has instead advocated for a reconstruction strategy that does not involve forced displacement, while Jordan’s King Abdullah II reaffirmed his country’s “steadfast position” against the removal of Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank, calling it the “unified Arab position.”
Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi went further, warning that any Israeli attempt to deport Palestinians to Jordan would be considered a “declaration of war.”
