Trump looks for a deal on his Gaza plan as he meets with Jordan’s King Abdullah – CNN
Source: CNN
President Donald Trump made no attempt Tuesday to soften his proposal to relocate Palestinians in Gaza and redevelop the land into premium housing, even as his guest in the Oval Office, King Abdullah II of Jordan, suggested the Arab world was opposed.
Trump repeated his view that Palestinians should be moved out of the devastated strip to “parcels” in third countries, including Jordan, despite the objections of those countries’ leaders.
And the president brushed aside questions about what authority the US might wield to take control of the Palestinian enclave.
“It’s not a complex thing to do. And with the United States being in control of that piece of land, a fairly large piece of land, you’re going to have stability in the Middle East for the first time,” Trump said in the Oval Office.
Abdullah, seated next to Trump, did not outright reject the president’s idea. But his discomfort with the plan was obvious as he indicated alternate proposals for Gaza would be forthcoming.
“I think we have to keep in mind, there is a plan from Egypt and the Arab countries,” Abdullah said. “I think the point is, how do we make this work in a way that is good for everybody?” He later advised, “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”
In a statement after their meeting, Abdullah was more direct. “I reiterated Jordan’s steadfast position against the displacement of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. This is the unified Arab position. Rebuilding Gaza without displacing the Palestinians and addressing the dire humanitarian situation should be the priority for all,” he wrote on X.
But Trump’s comments made obvious he’s serious about moving forward with the plan he revealed one week ago.
“We’re going to have it, we’re going to keep it, and we’re going to make sure that there’s going to be peace and there’s not going to be any problem, and nobody’s going to question it, and we’re going to run it very properly,” Trump said.
“We’re going to take it. We’re going to hold it. We’re going to cherish it,” Trump said of Gaza.
His plans to “own” the Strip have injected yet more uncertainty into the shaky ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.
Sitting next to Abdullah, the president held to his comments, made the day before in the Oval Office, that “all hell is going to break out” if Hamas does not release all hostages from Gaza by noon on Saturday.
“And you know, I have a Saturday deadline, and I don’t think they’re going to make the deadline personally,” Trump said.
He added that “all bets are off” in regard to the ceasefire deal if Hamas does not release the hostages by then.
A week after proposing his brazen new plan to redevelop Gaza into a “Riviera of the Middle East,” Trump appears intent on negotiating his far-fetched plan into reality.
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In this case, the deal he’s envisioning would apparently involve Jordan and Egypt accepting millions of new Palestinian refugees — over their consistent objections — so Trump can clear the rubble from the demolished Gaza Strip, construct new glass towers with Mediterranean views and invite “the world’s people” to move in.
“We’re going to be able to work something, and I know we’ll be able to work something also with, I believe, not, not 100%, but 99% we’re going to work out something with Egypt,” Trump said on Tuesday.
As leverage, Trump is wielding the billions of dollars in American assistance provided to Jordan and Egypt every year, without which those countries could face dire financial problems.
“Yeah, maybe, sure why not?” Trump responded in the Oval Office on Monday evening when asked if he would hold back American aid to Jordan and Egypt. “If they don’t, I would conceivably withhold aid, yes.”
A day later, he seemed less sure that cutting aid was the best path.
“No, I think we’ll do something. I don’t have to threaten with money,” Trump said from the Oval Office on Tuesday. “I think we’re above that.”
Cairo and Amman are not without leverage of their own: Both closely align their security policies with Washington, and both have played a role in protecting Israel in the past — including last year, when Jordan helped shoot down a barrage of Iranian missiles fired toward Israel. Even some US officials worry forcing Egypt and Jordan to accept new Palestinian refugees, if that’s even possible, could seriously destabilize two reliable security partners.
“I do think he’ll take, and I think other countries will take also,” Trump said a day ahead of his meeting with Abdullah. “They have
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