Tue Feb 11 20:53:44 UTC 2025: **Trump Proposes Controversial Gaza Redevelopment Plan During King Abdullah II’s White House Visit**

Washington, D.C. – February 11, 2025 – U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated his controversial proposal to transform Gaza into a tourist area under U.S. control during a White House meeting with Jordan’s King Abdullah II. This plan, which would involve the displacement of Gaza’s residents, was met with resistance from King Abdullah, who reaffirmed Jordan’s opposition to such a move.

While Trump insisted that the plan wouldn’t require U.S. funding and would create a thriving resort area, he offered no concrete details on how this would be achieved or how the displacement of Palestinians would be managed. He also suggested that the lack of a right of return for Palestinians was inherent to his plan.

King Abdullah, while stating his country’s willingness to accept 2,000 ill children from Gaza, firmly rejected the broader proposal, emphasizing Jordan’s steadfast opposition to the displacement of Palestinians. He reiterated this position on X (formerly Twitter), stating that rebuilding Gaza without displacement should be the priority. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was also present at the Oval Office meeting.

Trump’s proposal has drawn sharp criticism from Arab leaders, raising concerns about jeopardizing the two-state solution and security implications for Jordan and Egypt, who are already home to millions of Palestinians. Previous statements by Trump suggesting that U.S. aid to Jordan and Egypt could be withheld if they don’t accept more refugees were contradicted during this meeting.

The timing of the meeting is particularly sensitive, given the tenuous ceasefire between Hamas and Israel. Trump also threatened to cancel the ceasefire if Hamas doesn’t release all hostages by Saturday, a threat he first made on Monday. Hamas accuses Israel of ceasefire violations and has paused further hostage releases. The King’s visit concluded with a meeting on Capitol Hill with bipartisan lawmakers.

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