Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has reaffirmed that the creation of a Palestinian state is the only path to lasting peace in the Middle East during a meeting with World Jewish Congress President Ronald Lauder in Cairo on Sunday, February 16, 2025.
Sisi also stressed the urgent need to begin rebuilding war-torn Gaza while ensuring that its residents are not forcibly displaced.
His comments come amid growing Arab opposition to a controversial proposal by US President Donald Trump, which envisions permanently relocating Gaza’s population to neighbouring countries such as Egypt and Jordan.
Trump’s plan, which seeks to redevelop Gaza into a luxury hub dubbed the “Riviera of the Middle East,” has faced sharp criticism from Arab and international leaders.
“The establishment of a Palestinian state… is the only guarantee to achieve lasting peace,” Sisi told Lauder, according to a statement from the Egyptian presidency on Sunday.
Lauder, in response, commended Egypt’s diplomatic efforts to restore stability in the region, highlighting Cairo’s key role in ongoing peace discussions.
Meanwhile, leaders of Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, and the UAE are set to meet in Riyadh on Thursday to discuss Trump’s proposal. Their discussions will precede an emergency Arab League summit in Cairo, where Arab nations will deliberate on a unified response to the proposed Gaza resettlement plan.
The diplomatic flurry underscores rising tensions over the future of Gaza as Arab states push for a political solution that ensures Palestinian sovereignty while rejecting any forced displacement of its people.
