Egypt said today it is in contact with Arab partner countries including the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia to reinforce the region’s rejection of any displacement of Palestinians, following US President Donald Trump‘s statement that they should leave Gaza.

Foreign Minister Badr Abdelati contacted his counterparts from 11 countries, a statement said.

They stressed “the firmness of the Arab position on the Palestinian cause, rejecting any measures aimed at displacing the Palestinian people from their land or encouraging the transfer of Palestinians to other countries outside the Palestinian Territories,” the Egyptian statement said.

Trump has proposed that the US take control of Gaza from Israel and create a “Middle East Riviera” after Palestinians are relocated to other countries, including Egypt and Jordan. But Arab countries want to see a two-state solution with a Palestinian state next to Israel.

A Palestinian move would constitute a “flagrant violation of international law, a violation of the rights of Palestinians, a threat to security and stability in the region and undermining the opportunities for peace and coexistence among its peoples,” Egypt’s statement said.

Egypt is examining with other Arab countries how to rebuild and clear Gaza of rubble after Israel’s military campaign that flattened the Gaza Strip in response to the cross-border attack by the armed Palestinian Hamas group on Israel on October 7, 2023.

Egyptian security sources told Reuters that the country’s presidency, army, and intelligence service agreed to reject Trump’s plan despite disagreements among themselves over how to respond.

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has said Egyptians will take to the streets to oppose plans to relocate Palestinians.

Egypt is an important US partner in the region and helped reach the Gaza ceasefire deal with Qatar and the US.