The ‘Egyptian Solution’ can be part of the blueprint to end the conflict

On February 25, 2025, Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid presented a post-war governance plan for Gaza titled “The Egyptian Solution.” As with any viable peace plan, it is premised on the removal of Hamas from power in Gaza. Lapid calls for Egypt to oversee a “guardianship” of Gaza for a period of 8 to 10 years, during which time Egypt would head a regional “peace force” that would provide governance, oversee the process of rebuilding Gaza, supervise the demilitarization of Gaza and the deradicalization of the Palestinian population. In return, Egypt’s external debt of $155 billion would be paid off by nations committed to ending the Conflict.

If this sounds vaguely familiar to readers of my past articles, it is because it includes elements of the Center for Conflict Resolution Strategies “Blueprint for an Imposed Peace to End the Israeli Palestinian Conflict” (the “Blueprint”). First presented in May 2024, and republished on February 25, 2025, the Blueprint incorporates and expands on the concept of a five-nation trusteeship to administer the Holy Basin surrounding the Old City of Jerusalem presented by former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as part of his “Convergence Plan” to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in September 2008, discussed in the Blueprint. (See also the 2/24/25 article by Miri Weissman in Israel Hayom, “Unseen 2008 peace map reveals path not taken,” regarding Olmert’s recent reveal of his map of his 2008 two-state solution.) The Convergence Plan was not well received within or outside Israel and faded away prior to Olmert leaving office in March 2009.

A key element of the Egyptian Solution and the Blueprint is that both recognize that whether called a “guardianship” or a “trusteeship,” the Palestinian people must be governed by someone other than themselves for a significant period of time to build a viable and stable Palestinian state. The Egyptian Solution is for Egypt to assume governance. The Blueprint is for an Alliance of nations, including Egypt, to do so.

Figure 2 Created by Richard Annen

The Blueprint proposes to place a Palestinian state in Trust, with Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE, Morocco, Israel, the EU, and US forming an Alliance and acting as the Governing Council overseeing day-to-day governance by two Trustees, one in Gaza and one in the West Bank. The “Egyptian Solution” can be incorporated in the Blueprint by Egypt assuming the role of the Trustee for Gaza and be compensated for so doing.

There are major problems with the Egyptian Solution as a stand-alone plan. First, it fails to address the West Bank, which is mandatory if the goal is to end the Conflict and ensure Israel’s future security. The needs and desires of all Palestinian people must be addressed, not just those in Gaza. Hamas’ likely recognizes that will never be allowed to maintain control of Gaza and is already looking to use the West Bank as its new base of operations against Israel. The Blueprint makes clear to Iran, Hamas, and other terror organizations that the Alliance is now in charge of governance of the Palestinian people and the time of their being used as a weapon of war against Israel is over.

Second, the Egyptian Solution assumes that in return for payoff of its $155 billion international debt, Egypt will be willing to assume a primary role in post-war Gaza that far exceeds anything that Egypt has publicly stated it would consider doing or is capable of doing. When stripped to its essence, the Egyptian Solution is really a plan to save Egypt from possible economic collapse which would destabilize the region. The job of governing Gaza (and the West Bank) must be done by the Alliance of nations, not a single nation who is paid an exorbitant amount of money as a “contractor” to do the job. While Egypt’s participation in the Alliance is important, Egypt’s primary focus needs to be on Egypt, not Gaza.

Third, ensuring Israel’s security is preeminent in any post-war plan. The Egyptian Plan calls for Israel to “divorce” itself from Gaza after deradicalization of Gaza’s population, a process that it assumes could take 8 to 15 years. Most Palestinians in Gaza have been born, lived, educated, and indoctrinated by Hamas and its supporters for their entire lives. They only know and practice Jew hated. They cheer the death of any Jew, no matter their ages or innocence. Deradicalization of the population will likely take 20 years or more. Unlike the Egyptian Plan, the Blueprint incentivizes Palestinians to embrace peace, reject terrorism, build their lives, and achieve certain benchmarks leading to self-governance. Even then, the Palestinian state will remain a Protectorate under the watchful eyes of the Alliance, ensuring Israel’s long-term security.

Establishing the Alliance to oversee post-war governance of Gaza and the West Bank is the key to achieving peace for Israel and the Palestinian people. The “carrot” for the Palestinian people is that by embracing peace, they put themselves on a path to achieve that which has eluded them since 1948, self-governance of their own nation. As a deeply radicalized population that has not known peace, they need the guiding “hand” of the Alliance to put and keep them on a path to self-governance.