Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with King Abdullah of Jordan on Tuesday, a meeting anticipated to be fraught with tension following the U.S. president’s recent proposal regarding Gaza redevelopment and his warning to cut aid to Jordan if it does not agree to resettle Palestinians.
Trump‘s plan, introduced just a week ago, suggests that the U.S. should take control of Gaza, relocate its traumatized inhabitants, and transform the devastated area into what he envisions as the “Riviera of the Middle East.” This idea has been met with significant backlash from the Arab world.
The proposal complicates an already delicate regional situation, particularly in light of the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. On Monday, Hamas announced it would halt the release of Israeli hostages from Gaza until further notice, citing Israel’s failure to adhere to the ceasefire agreement. Trump subsequently indicated that he might terminate the ceasefire if Hamas does not release all hostages taken on October 7, 2023, by the weekend.
King Abdullah has firmly opposed any actions that would lead to land annexation and the displacement of Palestinians. During their meeting, he is expected to convey to Trump that such actions could incite radicalism, create chaos in the region, undermine peace with Israel, and threaten Jordan’s stability. Meanwhile, Trump has adjusted certain elements of his original proposal while remaining steadfast on others, expressing growing frustration with Arab leaders who deem the plan impractical.
I believe he will accept refugees, Trump stated to reporters at the White House on Monday regarding King Abdullah. When asked if he would consider withholding aid from Jordan and Egypt should they refuse, Trump responded, “Yes, possibly, why not… if they don’t comply, I could potentially withhold aid.”
Jordan, situated between Saudi Arabia, Syria, Israel, and the occupied West Bank, currently hosts over 2 million Palestinian refugees within its population of 11 million, a situation that has long caused concern for the nation’s leadership.
For decades, Amman has relied on Washington as its primary source of economic and military support, which currently exceeds $1 billion annually. Although Jordan signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1994, relations with its neighbor have been tense. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has indicated that Trump’s proposal merits consideration.
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