US President Donald Trump is pressuring Arab countries, including Jordan and Egypt, to accept his plan for rebuilding Gaza. The proposal calls for the country to take in 2 million more Palestinians who can be removed from Gaza. If they reject the plan, Trump threatens to withhold aid. Jordan’s King Abdullah is set to visit the White House on Tuesday, but it remains unclear if he will back the US president’s proposal.
Trump has ignited a backlash among Middle Eastern leaders, including Abdullah, who rejects the idea of annexing land and displacing Palestinians. The opposition appears to have done little to deter Trump, who insists that Palestinians removed from Gaza would not be allowed to return after reconstruction is completed.
The US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, will visit Israel, the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia this week, but it’s unclear if he shares Trump’s views on the issue. Analysts see Trump’s proposal as a negotiating ploy, which has already done more harm than good to the fragile peace process.
Trump’s advisors know that convincing Jordan and Egypt to accept Palestinian refugees from Gaza is unlikely. The US president will likely face opposition when he meets with Abdullah, but his strategy may need to be dialed back to what is workable.
Source: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-withhold-aid-jordan-egypt-reject-gaza-development/story?id=118668060