During his meeting with US Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty reaffirmed a "complete Arab consensus" rejecting the displacement of Palestinians amid US President Donald Trump's reported plan to evacuate Gaza.
Since Jan. 25, Trump has repeatedly suggested that Palestinians in Gaza should be taken in by regional Arab nations such as Egypt and Jordan, an idea rejected by both the Arab states and Palestinian leaders.
According to a statement by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry on Monday, Abdelatty met with Van Hollen, a member of the Senate's Foreign Relations and Appropriations Committees, in Washington on Sunday evening, as their meeting discussed ways "to strengthen the strategic partnership" between Egypt and the US.
The meeting also featured "an in-depth exchange of views on the latest developments regarding the Palestinian cause," with Abdelatty affirming "the unified Arab stance against any forced displacement of Palestinians."
Egypt's top diplomat further stressed "the importance of establishing a political framework leading to an independent Palestinian state and ensuring the Palestinian people's right to self-determination."
On Feb. 4, Trump said Washington would "take over" Gaza and resettle Palestinians elsewhere under an extraordinary redevelopment plan that he claimed could turn the enclave into "the Riviera of the Middle East."
His proposal was met with widespread condemnation from Palestinians, Arab countries, and many other nations across the world, including Canada, France, Germany, and the UK.
Trump's proposal to relocate Palestinians in Gaza first came after a ceasefire agreement took effect in the enclave on Jan. 19, suspending Israel's genocidal war, which has killed more than 48,100 Palestinians and left the enclave in ruins.
