LONDON: Saudi Arabia, together with seven other Arab and Islamic countries, condemned on Sunday Israel’s rejection of US President Donald Trump’s plan for Gaza, saying the stance threatens international efforts to end the war in the Palestinian territory.
In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan, Indonesia, Turkiye, Qatar, and the UAE denounced Israel’s stated opposition to a roadmap for completing Trump’s broader Gaza plan, which was endorsed by UN Security Council Resolution 2803.
The ministers also condemned Israel’s rejection of Palestinian statehood.
They said the Israeli position could undermine implementation of the US-proposed plan and broader efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace in Gaza and the rest of the occupied Palestinian territory.
Israel, they added, would bear responsibility for obstructing efforts to end the conflict, including any worsening of conditions on the ground or delays in humanitarian aid, security arrangements, and reconstruction.
The roadmap, which Palestinian factions have accepted, was developed through mediation involving Egypt, Qatar, Turkiye, and the US, along with the High Representative for Gaza and the Peace Council.
It calls for armed groups, including Hamas, to disarm; an Israeli military withdrawal; deployment of an international stabilization force; transfer of administrative authority to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza; and reconstruction of the territory.
The foreign ministers warned that Israel’s rejection could derail Trump’s efforts to end the war and create conditions for a lasting settlement.
They urged continued US engagement to ensure Israel complies with commitments in the plan and to prevent further obstruction.
The ministers called for the roadmap’s immediate and full implementation, saying it was needed to address Gaza’s severe humanitarian crisis, restore security and stability, and begin reconstruction and recovery.
The statement also reaffirmed support for a two-state solution, saying lasting peace could be achieved only through an independent and sovereign Palestinian state along the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in line with international law and relevant UN resolutions.
The ministers rejected “any attempt” to prevent or deny Palestinian statehood, including through unilateral actions, arguing that such measures would erode prospects for peace, security and stability across the region.
They urged all parties to support the Peace Council’s role in carrying out the roadmap and advancing to the second phase of Trump’s plan.
The ministers called on the council, with active US support and participation, to take immediate, concrete action within its mandate to protect the plan and prevent any party from blocking its implementation.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected Trump’s 15-point Gaza plan on Aug. 9, saying Israel would not withdraw its forces until Hamas was “genuinely” disarmed.
Trump’s Board of Peace said last month that it had reached an agreement on the “complete disarmament” of Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza. Hamas, however, said it would surrender its heavy weapons only if Israel ended “all forms of aggression” and withdrew its forces from the territory.
On Sunday, Trump’s son-in-law and aide, Jared Kushner, joined meetings in Egypt aimed at advancing the Board of Peace plan. Axios, citing two people familiar with the talks, reported that Kushner met Hamas leaders to press them to fulfill their disarmament commitment.
Kushner is also expected to travel to Israel on Monday to meet Netanyahu and discuss what one source described as the “corresponding steps” Israel would need to take.
