Sisi declines White House visit over Trump plan, says “Gaza should be rebuilt without displacing Palestinians”
The Abu Hueyshel family, whose home was destroyed in Israeli attacks, struggles to survive in a tent they have set up atop the rubble in al-Mughraqa, central Gaza [Ashraf Amra/Anadolu]
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will not travel to Washington for talks at the White House as long as US President Donald Trump’s plan to relocate Palestinians from Gaza remains on the agenda, two Egyptian security sources confirmed.
Trump’s proposal, which includes the permanent displacement of over two million Palestinians, placing Gaza under US control, and transforming it into the “Riviera of the Middle East,” has sparked outrage across the Arab world.
The US leader has demanded that Egypt and Jordan absorb displaced Palestinians, threatening to cut off aid if they refuse.
While Egypt acknowledges that Trump extended an open invitation to Sisi earlier this month, a US official stated that no date had been set for a potential visit. The Egyptian presidency and foreign ministry have not yet responded to requests for comment.
Meanwhile, Jordan’s King Abdullah appeared visibly uneasy during his meeting with Trump at the White House on Tuesday, where the Gaza proposal was discussed.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty visited Washington this week, with one of his objectives being to prevent an awkward presidential visit, according to sources.
During his meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Abdelatty was informed that the displacement plan would be central to discussions if Sisi visited.
In response, he dismissed the meeting as futile, stating that Egypt would only discuss its own Gaza reconstruction plan, which aims to “ensure Palestinians remain on their land.”
Following a phone conversation on Wednesday, Sisi and King Abdullah reaffirmed their stance, emphasizing that Gaza must be rebuilt without displacing its people.
They also called on Trump to lead a path toward establishing a Palestinian state based on 1967 borders, reiterating their commitment to lasting peace in the Middle East.
