US President Donald Trump greets the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, in 2017. (Photo: White House Photo/Shealah Craighead)
Officials in Egypt fear that U.S. President Donald Trump has not given up on the plan to relocate Palestinians out of the Gaza Strip. This was reported this Monday morning on the program “This Morning” on Kan Reshet Bet Radio.
Against the backdrop of Trump’s growing interest in the unresolved conflict between Ethiopia and Egypt over the Nile River waters, Cairo suspects that Trump intends to offer U.S. assistance in resolving the dispute – on condition that Egypt agrees to the emigration plan.
The conflict between Egypt and Ethiopia over the Nile waters centers on the unresolved issue of the Grand Renaissance Dam built by Ethiopia.
The dam threatens to deprive Egypt of a significant portion of its water supply – an existential threat that has led to years of discussions between Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia, and even to veiled threats of military confrontation.
During Trump’s previous presidential term, the United States tried unsuccessfully to mediate between the parties. Recently, the American president once again addressed the issue, saying that the U.S. should help bring about a resolution to this crisis.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi welcomed Trump’s remarks; however, behind the scenes, Cairo remains highly suspicious of Trump’s intentions in this initiative, according to Kan.
Egypt’s concern is that Trump’s assistance in resolving the dispute will not come free of charge – and that this is an attempt by the U.S. to persuade Egypt, via the Nile solution, to agree to the idea of Palestinian emigration from Gaza – an idea that Egypt completely rejects.
On Sunday, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry issued a statement expressing concern over reports of consultations between Israel and certain countries regarding the voluntary emigration of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip. The statement said that Egypt is urging the international community not to take part in “this despicable crime.”
Amid this concern over the Palestinian emigration plan, it is no coincidence that Cairo is now aggressively pushing its own initiative for “the day after” the war in Gaza – a temporary technocratic government under the supervision of the Palestinian Authority, along with the training of thousands of Gaza policemen affiliated with it to enforce security.
