Berlin, Paris, London and Rome welcome Arab plan for Gaza

Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Italy "welcomed" Saturday the Arab plan for Gaza, which presents "a realistic path towards the reconstruction of Gaza," in a joint statement. "If implemented," this plan promises "a rapid and sustainable improvement of the catastrophic living conditions of Palestinians living in Gaza," according to the statement from the foreign ministers of these countries released in Berlin.

It comes after the formal adoption of the Arab plan by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. The Arab initiative aims to respond to that of U.S. President Donald Trump to take control of the Palestinian territory and expel its inhabitants.

The OIC, which represents the Muslim world, subsequently called on "the international community and international and regional funding institutions to quickly provide the necessary support for this plan." Prepared by Egypt, it plans to reconstruct the Gaza Strip, destroyed by 15 months of war between Israel and Hamas, without displacing its 2.4 million inhabitants.

The plan de facto sidelines Hamas and provides for the return of the Palestinian Authority, ousted from the territory in 2007 by the Palestinian Islamist movement. However, it has been rejected by Israel and criticized by the United States.

"It is clear to us that Hamas must no longer govern Gaza or pose a threat to Israel," the European ministers emphasized. "We welcome the serious efforts of all the stakeholders involved and appreciate the significant signal that the Arab states have sent by jointly developing this recovery and reconstruction plan," they further stated.

They added that they are committed "to working with the Arab initiative, the Palestinians, and Israel to jointly address these issues, including security and governance."