Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
U.S. President Donald Trump is set to host a high-stakes Arab-European summit in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh next week, as part of a broader push to rally international support for his administration’s Gaza peace plan. The summit, which will gather leaders and top diplomats from more than a dozen countries, is scheduled to take place following Trump’s address to the Israeli Knesset on Monday.
The summit, coordinated with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, is expected to bring together representatives from a diverse range of nations, including Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Qatar, Jordan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, and Indonesia. According to sources cited by Axios, the goal is to consolidate diplomatic backing for a post-war vision of Gaza that includes a framework for reconstruction, security, and governance.
While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been a close political ally of Trump, he is not expected to attend the summit. A senior U.S. official confirmed to Axios that Netanyahu is not currently slated to participate, though the situation remains fluid.
Summit Objectives: Peace, Reconstruction, and Regional Alignment
The summit comes at a critical juncture for Gaza, as the recent ceasefire brokered in Sharm El-Sheikh has created a narrow window for diplomacy and long-term planning. Key issues on the agenda include stabilizing the security situation in the strip, outlining a mechanism for humanitarian aid and infrastructure rebuilding, and defining the political future of the enclave after years of conflict under Hamas rule.
Trump, who has portrayed himself as a global dealmaker, is expected to use the summit to showcase what his administration sees as a landmark diplomatic achievement. U.S. officials hope the conference will galvanize Arab and European backing for a new political roadmap for Gaza one that could potentially sideline militant groups and open the door to broader regional cooperation.
The initiative is seen by many as a continuation of the Abraham Accords’ momentum, aimed at forging new alliances and strategic alignments between Israel and key Arab states, even amid lingering tensions and deep-rooted mistrust.
Diplomatic Choreography and a Packed Itinerary
According to sources familiar with the planning, Trump’s schedule in the region will be tightly choreographed. He is expected to arrive in Israel on Monday morning, deliver a speech to the Knesset, and meet with families of Israeli hostages affected by the Gaza conflict. He will then travel to Egypt later that afternoon to meet President Sisi and participate in a ceremonial signing of the Gaza ceasefire agreement alongside representatives from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey the principal guarantors of the deal.
The leaders summit is currently slated for Tuesday morning in Sharm El-Sheikh, though officials have not ruled out the possibility of moving it up to Monday evening, depending on logistical considerations.
A Broader Coalition in the Making
While many details of the post-war governance model for Gaza remain under discussion, the summit is seen as an attempt to build a wider international coalition that can share the political and financial burden of reconstruction.
Egypt, which hosted the ceasefire negotiations and has long served as a regional mediator, is playing a central role in shaping the summit and expanding its diplomatic reach. President Sisi has personally invited several European and Arab leaders, emphasizing the importance of coordinated international engagement in Gaza’s future.
The summit also reflects Trump’s continued interest in shaping Middle East policy as a cornerstone of his foreign agenda. After being nominated multiple times in the past for the Nobel Peace Prize most notably following the signing of the Abraham Accords Trump is now positioning his efforts in Gaza as a new chapter in his quest to reshape the region.
An Opportunity and a Test
The Sharm El-Sheikh summit is expected to draw intense international attention. For Trump, it represents both a diplomatic opportunity and a high-stakes test of his ability to mobilize global consensus on one of the world’s most intractable conflicts.
While skepticism remains high in some quarters about the viability of any U.S.-led peace plan for Gaza, especially given the complex political realities on the ground, the summit marks one of the most significant multilateral gatherings on the Palestinian issue in recent years.
With global eyes turning toward Egypt next week, the outcomes of the summit could prove pivotal not just for Gaza, but for the broader trajectory of Middle East diplomacy in the years ahead.
