Trump and the king of Jordan will meet tensely about the future of Gaza

Following the U.S. president’s proposal for Gaza rebuilding and help to the U.S.-allied Arab nation if it rejects Palestinian resettlement, Donald Trump meets with King Abdullah of Jordan on Tuesday in what is expected to be a heated meeting.

Trump’s suggestion, made a week earlier, that the United States occupy Gaza, relocate its shell-shocked citizens, and turn the war-torn region into the “Riviera of the Middle East” was met with opposition from the Arab world.

A ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas is one of the delicate regional dynamics that has become more difficult as a result of the idea.

Accusing Israel of breaking the deal to halt the attacks that have ravaged Gaza, Hamas announced Monday that it will cease releasing Israeli prisoners from Gaza until further notice. Later, Trump said that if Hamas doesn’t free all of the hostages it still had on October 7, 2023, by the weekend, the truce will be canceled.

According to King Abdullah, he opposes any attempts to seize land and drive out Palestinians. He is anticipated to inform Trump on Tuesday that such a decision might incite extremism, destabilize the region, endanger peace with Israel, and endanger the nation’s existence.

Trump, for his part, has doubled down on some of his original proposals while changing others. He has becoming more irritated with Arab leaders who believe the concept is unrealistic.

Trump told reporters of King Abdullah at the White House on Monday, “I do think he’ll take” refugees.

If Jordan and Egypt refused to provide help, Trump responded, “Yeah, maybe, sure, why not… if they don’t agree I would conceivably withhold aid.”

With 11 million residents, Jordan is already home to over 2 million Palestinian refugees, a situation that worries the nation’s government due to their status and sheer quantity. Jordan is surrounded by Saudi Arabia, Syria, Israel, and the occupied West Bank.

For decades, Washington has been Amman’s biggest source of military and economic support, providing more over $1 billion annually.

Despite having tense ties with its neighbor, Jordan signed a peace deal with Israel in 1994. According to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump’s idea merits further investigation.