Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi has firmly rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal to relocate Palestinians from Gaza to neighboring countries, including Jordan and Egypt, in a recent interview with Al Jazeera.
The statement follows a White House meeting between Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Trump, where the U.S. president outlined his vision of taking control of Gaza after relocating its residents – a plan critics have characterized as forced displacement.
“There are fixed and steadfast Jordanian positions that will not change… the Palestinians cannot be transferred to Egypt, Jordan, or any Arab state,” Safadi emphasized. He reiterated Jordan’s commitment to a two-state solution that ensures Palestinians’ rights to freedom and an independent sovereign state on their homeland.
The proposal has faced unified opposition from the Palestinian Authority, Hamas, Arab nations, and China, with the latter explicitly stating “Gaza belongs to Palestinians.” Jordan and Egypt have both refused to accept forcibly displaced Palestinians.
During his White House visit, King Abdullah maintained diplomatic restraint, avoiding direct contradiction of Trump’s proposals while referring to an upcoming Egyptian plan. When questioned about accepting displaced Gazans, he focused on Jordan’s willingness to provide medical treatment for 2,000 sick Palestinian children.
Jordan, which already hosts over 2 million Palestinian refugees within its 11 million population, is working with other Arab states to develop an alternative plan for Gaza’s reconstruction “without transferring its people,” according to Safadi.
Trump, reiterating his position Tuesday, suggested Palestinians would prefer to leave Gaza, seemingly dismissing their historical connection to their land. His vision of transforming Gaza into a luxury destination with hotels, offices, and a “Riviera” atmosphere has been criticized as detached from regional realities and Palestinian resistance to displacement, despite decades of occupation and conflict.
Safadi concluded by noting that while “The American president presented some ideas. And, his majesty presented some ideas,” Jordan remains committed to “work with the American president to build Gaza without transferring its people.”
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