Arab and Muslim leaders are preparing to present a detailed framework for Gaza’s future during an upcoming meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in New York. The discussions will center on establishing a United Nations-mandated international force to provide security in the coastal territory.
This diplomatic push follows recent decisions by several Western nations to formally recognize Palestinian statehood. In response, Israeli officials have signaled potential countermeasures, including possible annexation of West Bank territories, arguing that such recognitions effectively reward Hamas.
The proposed stabilization plan, slated for formal endorsement at a UN conference on Palestinian statehood, outlines a comprehensive security transition. It calls for the complete disarmament of Hamas and its exclusion from governance, with security responsibilities transferred to a newly trained Palestinian Authority police force under international supervision.
The meeting with President Trump, scheduled after his address to the UN General Assembly, represents the most significant direct engagement between the White House and Arab states regarding post-conflict arrangements since his return to office. Leaders from Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Qatar and Saudi Arabia are expected to attend.
Arab diplomats view the session as critical for determining the administration’s position on their proposed roadmap. They are likely to insist that any international security presence must be coupled with a clear political pathway establishing the Palestinian Authority as Gaza’s governing body and preventing further Israeli settlement expansion.
The Palestinian Authority has expressed readiness to assume administrative control over both Gaza and the West Bank with international backing. However, the U.S. administration has shown limited enthusiasm for the Authority’s leadership, having previously imposed sanctions on its officials and barred its leader from addressing the UN.
Regional tensions have intensified amid Israeli suggestions of potential annexation. Emirati officials have characterized such moves as crossing a “red line” that would fundamentally undermine existing normalization agreements. European leaders have similarly cautioned against annexation, with Germany’s foreign minister emphasizing that “any steps toward illegal annexation undermine chances for resolving the conflict sustainably.”
The stabilization proposal being presented aims to marginalize Hamas by removing its military capacity and political influence while establishing international security oversight during Gaza’s transition to Palestinian Authority governance.
