There was a time when Europeans would have been quick to welcome the Arab League's plan, presented on Tuesday, March 7, in Cairo, to launch the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip while keeping all Gazans in place. The plan is designed to counter US President Donald Trump's vision of turning the territory into a Riviera, cleansed of its inhabitants. But Josep Borrell, the European Union's former high representative for foreign affairs, who was always at the forefront of Middle East issues, handed over his post at the end of 2024 to Kaja Kallas. The former Estonian prime minister has made Ukraine and the rearmament of the continent the priorities of her communications.

While Israel has dismissed the plan outright, and the Americans feel that it does not "meet expectations" – even if the American envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, deems it "a good faith first step" – Europe supports the approach politically, Brussels insists.

As proof, the president of the European Council, Antonio Costa, was in Cairo to support the Arab countries' initiative. Already on Tuesday, he welcomed it on X: "The European Union is fully committed to contributing to peace in the Middle East, and is ready to provide concrete support for the plan. The whole international community should work on its implementation."

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