Trump and Jordan’s King Abdullah Clash Over Gaza Redevelopment and Palestinian Resettlement
Amid tensions over Trump’s proposal to relocate Palestinians and transform Gaza, the U.S. president threatens to cut aid to Jordan if it refuses to accept refugees.
Watan-U.S. President Donald Trump held a meeting with Jordanian King Abdullah II on Tuesday, a discussion likely to be tense following Trump’s proposal to redevelop Gaza and his threat to cut aid to the U.S.-allied Arab nation if it refuses to resettle displaced Palestinians.
Trump’s proposal, revealed a week ago, calls for U.S. control over Gaza, the removal of its residents, and the transformation of the war-torn area into the “Riviera of the Middle East.” The plan has sparked negative reactions across the Arab world.
Trump and King Abdullah Face Off Over Gaza Resettlement Plan
The proposal has further complicated an already fragile regional situation, including the delicate ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian resistance group Hamas.
On Monday, Hamas announced it would halt the release of Israeli hostages from Gaza until further notice, accusing Israel of violating the ceasefire agreement. Later, Trump threatened to cancel the ceasefire if Hamas does not release all remaining hostages captured on October 7, 2023, by the upcoming weekend.
King Abdullah has firmly opposed any attempts to annex territory or forcibly relocate Palestinians. He is expected to tell Trump on Tuesday that such a move could trigger a wave of extremism and chaos in the region, endangering peace with Israel.
For his part, Trump has adjusted some aspects of his initial proposal while standing firm on others. He expressed frustration with Arab leaders who consider the plan unworkable.
Speaking to reporters at the White House on Monday, Trump said, “I think he will accept” refugees, referring to King Abdullah.
Trump Threatens to Cut Aid as Jordan Rejects Palestinian Displacement
When asked whether he would cut aid to Jordan and Egypt if they refused, Trump responded, “Yes, maybe, definitely—why not? If they don’t agree, I might cut the aid.”
Jordan, which borders Saudi Arabia, Syria, Israel, and the occupied West Bank, already hosts more than two million Palestinian refugees out of its total population of 11 million. Their presence has long been a sensitive issue for the country’s leadership.
Amman relies heavily on Washington as its largest provider of economic and military aid, receiving over $1 billion annually for decades.
Jordan signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1994, but relations between the two countries remain tense.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that Trump’s proposal is “worth considering.”
