Trump Asks Jordan to Accept Gaza Palestinians; King Abdullah's Opposition

Donald Trump, the President of the United States, asked King Abdullah of Jordan to accept Palestinians who, according to his plan, must leave the Gaza Strip permanently. This request faced strong opposition from the Jordanian king. Mr. Trump, who hosted King Abdullah at the White House on Tuesday, February 12, indicated that he is still pursuing his plan for the permanent removal of Gaza residents from the strip and transforming it into a recreational coastal area under U.S. control. The U.S. President stated that his plan would bring 'peace' to the Middle East, saying, 'We will take it. We will keep it. We will guard it well, and ultimately we will do this, creating many jobs for people in the Middle East.' Hours after these remarks, King Abdullah emphasized that he communicated Jordan's 'unchanging position' against the expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank, which borders his country, to Donald Trump. The Jordanian king wrote on social media platform X: 'This is the position of Arab unity... Rebuilding Gaza without expelling Palestinians and addressing the dire humanitarian situation there must be a priority for all.' Despite this stance from King Abdullah, Trump claims that Jordan and Egypt will eventually agree to host Gaza Palestinians. Both countries rely on U.S. economic and military aid. Mr. Trump stated, 'I believe we will have a piece of land in Jordan and a piece in Egypt. We may have some in other countries as well, but I think when our negotiations are over, we will have a place where they can go and have a happy and safe life.' Trump, who had previously stated he could cut off financial and military aid to Jordan, clarified that he does not want to use this aid as a threat. He remarked, 'We give a lot of money to Jordan and Egypt anyway. But I don't want to use it as a threat. I think we are beyond such a situation.' King Abdullah had previously emphasized his opposition to the occupation of Gaza and the expulsion of Palestinians from there. The Jordanian king is the first leader of an Arab country to meet with Trump following the announcement of Trump's plan regarding Gaza. Trump believes that if Palestinians have a choice and are given a home in a safe area, they will leave Gaza. According to him, the only reason Palestinians talk about returning to Gaza is that they have no alternative, and when they have an alternative, they will not want to return to Gaza. The U.S. President described the Gaza Strip as a ruin filled with unexploded bombs and a dangerous place that needs to be rebuilt and developed.