Arab League proposes Cairo Declaration for Gaza

Source: The post Arab League proposes Cairo Declaration for Gaza has been created, based on the article “The Egyptian alternative to Trump’s Gaza ‘Riviera’ plan” published in “Indian Express” on 6th March 2025.

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper2- International Relations-Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

Context: The article discusses the Cairo Declaration, an Arab League plan to rebuild Gaza with $53 billion. It supports a two-state solution, rejects “ethnic cleansing,” and proposes an interim administration. The plan faces challenges from Israel and the U.S.

What is the Cairo Declaration and its purpose?

1. The Cairo Declaration is an Arab League plan for Gaza’s reconstruction with a $53-billion Egyptian proposal.
2. It was adopted on March 4, a day after Israel stopped all humanitarian aid to Gaza.
3. The plan supports a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as Palestine’s capital.
4. It calls for a “Gaza administration committee” of qualified Gazans for a transitional period and a trust fund for recovery projects.
5. The Declaration rejects Trump’s proposal to evict Palestinians and emphasizes the role of Jordan and Egypt in protecting Palestinian rights.

How does the Cairo Declaration differ from previous proposals?

1. The Cairo Declaration follows the Bahrain Declaration from May 2024 but introduces some changes.
2. It does not mention removing Hamas, allowing room for the group in the interim. Hamas welcomed the plan due to its commitment to fresh elections.
3. In contrast, the U.S. and Israel criticized it for not addressing Hamas directly.
4. Unlike Trump’s recent proposal to permanently evict Palestinians from Gaza, the Cairo plan rejects the “ethnic cleansing” of Palestinians and emphasizes the role of Jordan and Egypt in protecting Palestinian rights.

What challenges does the Cairo Declaration face?

1. The Declaration faces challenges from Israel and the U.S., especially regarding Hamas’s role.
2. Israel opposes the Palestinian Authority’s control of Gaza and the West Bank, which the plan proposes.
3. The plan also demands Israel’s complete withdrawal from Gaza, including the Philadelphi Corridor, which Israel has resisted.
4. The Israeli settler population in the West Bank, which reached 700,000 in 2023, poses another challenge to the two-state solution.

Why is the two-state solution uncertain?

1. The two-state solution is uncertain due to Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank.
2. In 2023, Israel approved over 1,000 new settler homes and promised 5,300 more in 2024.
3. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights linked this expansion to the elimination of a viable Palestinian state.
4. The Cairo Declaration envisions a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders. However, this vision conflicts with the current realities on the ground, making the solution seem unlikely without major changes from Israel.

Question for practice:

Discuss the challenges faced by the Cairo Declaration in achieving its objectives.