King Abdullah Rejects Palestinian Displacement in Global Media

Many international newspapers have highlighted the stance of Jordanian King Abdullah rejecting US President Donald Trump's plan to displace Palestinians from Gaza to neighbouring countries, especially Jordan and Egypt. International media outlets, such as Reuters, Washington Post, France 24, The Guardian, New York Times, and The Times of Israel, have highlighted this categorical rejection, considering the plan a threat to Jordanian national security and an expansion of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The Times of Israel reported that "Trump's plan to control Gaza has raised concerns in the Arab world, especially Jordan and Egypt, which have completely rejected the proposal, considering the arrival of such a large number of Palestinians a security threat and an expansion of the conflict to their borders." The Guardian confirmed that "King Abdullah II on Tuesday rejected President Trump's push for Jordan to accept displaced Palestinians," while the New York Times explained that the king stressed during his meeting with Trump that "Jordan will not be part of any plan that leads to the displacement of Palestinians, stressing that he opposes Trump's plan to evacuate Gaza of its residents."

This decisive Jordanian rejection reflects the kingdom's historical commitment to defending the Palestinian cause and rejecting any projects that affect its national sovereignty or the rights of the Palestinian people, stressing that any just solution must be within the framework of the two-state solution and not at the expense of neighboring countries.

Recently, US President Donald Trump's proposal regarding Gaza has raised widespread concern in the Arab world, especially in Jordan and Egypt, as Trump has classified them as prime candidates to host displaced Palestinians. The Times of Israel referred to this categorical rejection by saying: “Trump’s plan to take control of Gaza has alarmed the Arab world, especially Jordan and Egypt, which have rejected the proposal outright, considering that the arrival of such a large number of Palestinians poses a security threat and expands the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to include their borders.”

The response of Jordanian King Abdullah II was clear and decisive, as he strongly rejected any attempts to force the displacement of Palestinians to Jordan. According to the Guardian newspaper: “King Abdullah II on Tuesday rejected President Trump’s push for Jordan to accept displaced Palestinians.” The New York Times added: “King Abdullah II confirmed his categorical rejection of President Trump’s proposal that his country absorbs Palestinians living in Gaza, indicating that he still opposes the plan put forward by Trump to evacuate the Strip so that the United States can control it.”

This Jordanian rejection is not new but rather is in line with the Kingdom’s historical position in supporting Palestinian rights and rejecting any solutions that conflict with international law. King Abdullah stressed during his meeting with Trump that "rebuilding Gaza without displacing Palestinians and addressing the tragic humanitarian situation must be a priority for all."

For his part, Trump tried to pressure Jordan and Egypt to agree to his plan, relying on the American aid provided to them, but King Abdullah stressed that Jordan's national interests come first, explaining that "achieving a just peace based on the two-state solution is the way to ensure regional stability."

This Jordanian position comes amid fears that receiving large numbers of Palestinian refugees will affect the demographic and economic balance in the country, which could have political and social repercussions. In addition, forcibly transferring Palestinians to Jordan contradicts UN resolutions, which consider forced displacement a crime against humanity.

The Jordanian position of rejection is in line with the position of other Arab countries, as the Egyptian Foreign Minister confirmed that his country completely rejects any attempts to settle Palestinians outside their land, indicating that this step could lead to serious repercussions on Egyptian national security. Egypt also called for an emergency Arab summit to discuss these developments and coordinate the Arab response to these moves.

These developments bring to mind the forced displacement attempts that took place in 1948 during the Nakba, when hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were displaced from their lands, leading to a refugee crisis that still exists today. This painful history makes it impossible for Jordan or any other Arab country to accept a similar plan, which could lead to a new tragedy for the Palestinians.

Finally: Jordan's categorical rejection of the plan to displace the Palestinians confirms the Kingdom's commitment to its national principles and international law, and its keenness on the stability of the region. This rejection also reflects the importance of searching for just and sustainable solutions to the Palestinian issue, based on international legitimacy resolutions, and guaranteeing the Palestinian people's right to self-determination and the establishment of their independent state.

Hasan Dajah is professor of strategic studies at Al-Hussein Bin Talal University