Israel has rebuked Egypt’s reconstruction plan for Gaza, emphasizing the need for an independent Palestinian state. Shin Bet admitted failures in security prior to the Hamas attacks, while calls for national inquiries into such failures have intensified. Egypt is set to present a Gaza reconstruction plan to the OIC, aiming for an Arab-wide consensus without displacing residents.
Israel has criticized Egypt’s $53 billion plan for the reconstruction of Gaza, with Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty condemning the Israeli stance as “unacceptable”. He emphasized that peace in the region can only be achieved through the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, stating that no one should impose their will on the international community. Meanwhile, Shin Bet acknowledges its shortcomings, admitting it overlooked signs of impending Hamas attacks and failed to protect civilians effectively.
Ronen Bar, head of Shin Bet, stated that different actions could have potentially prevented the October 7 massacre, bearing the burden of accountability for these failures. He reiterated his responsibility for the security agency’s inability to guard against the attack. Concurrently, the Israeli military also released its findings, admitting it significantly underestimated Hamas’s military capabilities ahead of the assault.
Calls for a national inquiry into the government’s failures have escalated, though the political establishment, led by Netanyahu, has not responded to these demands. As part of its reconstruction efforts, Egypt plans to present its proposal to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for approval, indicating a shift toward a unified Arab and Islamic effort to aid Gaza without displacing its residents.
An emergency meeting of OIC foreign ministers is scheduled for March 7 in Jeddah to consider the adoption of the reconstruction plan. This move comes as Arab leaders gathered in Cairo to counter Trump’s previous proposal, which sought to forcibly displace Palestinians from Gaza, thereby establishing a new, cooperative framework for revitalizing the region.
Egypt is advocating for an inclusive reconstruction plan for Gaza that does not displace Palestinians, contrasting sharply with previous proposals. The reactions from Israel, including organizational admissions of failure, highlight ongoing tensions and the urgency for accountability. As plans move forward through the OIC, the necessity for collaborative efforts among Arab nations becomes paramount in addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Original Source: www.aljazeera.com
