President Donald Trump welcomed Jordan's King Abdullah II to the White House on Tuesday for a bilateral meeting, during which Trump touted his plan to "take," "hold," and "cherish" the war-torn Gaza Strip.
As he appeared alongside Trump, Abdullah did not reject the plan and pledged to accept some 2,000 Gazan refugees. Later, though, Abdullah said he "reiterated Jordan's steadfast position against the displacement of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank."
Before the meeting, Abdullah and other Arab leaders had condemned Trump's ambitious plan to resettle Gaza's entire population in neighboring countries and turn the strip into the "Riviera of the Middle East." But Abdullah appeared more open as he sat in the White House. He promised to accept an initial tranche of around 2,000 ill Gazan children and said he would "look at the best interests of the United States, of the people in the region," when determining a plan for Gaza. He also praised Trump.
"I truly believe that with all the challenges that we have in the Middle East, I finally see somebody that can take us across the finish line to bring stability, peace, and prosperity to all of us in the region," the Jordanian monarch said. "And it is, I think, our collective responsibility in the Middle East to continue to work with you, to support you, to achieve those wealthy goals."
Abdullah's response during the meeting suggested Trump could make at least some headway on the issue. But Abdullah spoke more harshly after the meeting, writing in a statement posted to social media that he "reiterated Jordan's steadfast position against the displacement of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank," calling it the "unified Arab position."
Trump, for his part, openly touted his call to take control of Gaza.
"We're going to run it very properly," Trump said before suggesting that hotels and other luxury buildings could be constructed. "You're going to eventually have peace in the Middle East." Trump called Gaza a "death trap" but said that, with the right development, "it could be a diamond."
Trump, who was flanked by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, also expressed optimism about pushing Egypt into accepting fleeing Gazans. Though Egyptian president Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi has labeled the plan an "act of injustice," Trump said he is "99 percent" certain he could reach a deal in the coming weeks.
Some Gazans have expressed an interest in fleeing the strip and living in nearby Arab nations such as Jordan, Egypt, or Saudi Arabia, according to a video produced by the Center for Peace Communications and first reported by the Washington Free Beacon.
"I'm asking Trump himself to relocate us as he suggested, and I'll be the first one to go," one interviewee said. "I mean, just look around you—we simply can't live here."
After the meeting, Abdullah praised Trump as a "man of peace" who was "instrumental in securing the Gaza ceasefire." He called on the United States and "all stakeholders" to ensure the ceasefire holds.
That outcome appears unlikely. After Hamas suspended the release of Israeli hostages under the ceasefire deal on Monday, Trump said "all hell is going to break out" if the terror group did not release hostages this week, seemingly giving Israel the green light to cancel the deal. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu later convened an emergency meeting with his security cabinet and warned Hamas that it would face "intense combat" if it did not release hostages by Saturday.