Trump Meets Jordan’s King Abdullah Over Gaza Takeover
President Donald Trump has once again insisted the US will take control of the Gaza Strip, as he met Jordan’s King Abdullah at the White House on Tuesday.
It was their first meeting since Trump announced his proposal to take over the enclave and move its population of two million Palestinians to other countries in the region, including Jordan.
Earlier this week, Trump suggested he could withhold aid to Jordan and Egypt unless they agreed to take in those Palestinians from Gaza.
Jordan, a key US ally in the Middle East, is already home to millions of Palestinians and has rejected the proposal. King Abdullah said after their meeting that Jordan’s “steadfast position [is] against the displacement of Palestinians”.
But speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, with King Abdullah seated to his right, Trump signalled he would not shift on his idea which triggered global condemnation when he unveiled it last week.
Trump claimed that “a lot of jobs” would be created across the region if a US takeover of the devastated territory were to happen.
King Abdullah sat quietly next to Trump as the president repeated a proposal that would upend decades of established US policy and could amount to a breach of international law, which prohibits the forcible transfer of populations.
Jordan has so far rejected the idea as a fundamental breach of international law, but has quietly expressed concerns about the kingdom’s ability to absorb large numbers of Palestinians.
On the possibility of taking in additional Palestinians, King Abdullah said a solution that is “best for everybody” would be necessary. He said Jordan would take in 2,000 unwell Palestinian children.
Trump, however, appeared unmoved and reiterated his stance that he expects Jordan and Egypt to play a part in housing resettled Palestinians.
