Abdelrahman
President Trump asserted on Tuesday that the United States possesses the authority to “take” control of Gaza, suggesting that neighboring countries could accommodate the Palestinians currently residing there. These comments were made alongside Jordan’s King Abdullah II during a meeting in the Oval Office.
“We will take Gaza,” Mr. Trump declared. “It’s a war-torn region. We’re prepared to take it, retain it, and value it.”
His remarks, delivered during a casual press interaction at the start of their bilateral discussions, added new pressure on King Abdullah, who praised Trump as a peacemaker in the region. The king, however, refrained from responding to Trump’s loosely proposed plan, which the president had mentioned frequently throughout the past week.
The meeting, which included Jordan’s Crown Prince Hussein, took place shortly after Trump announced his intentions for the U.S. to take control of Gaza and expressed desires for Jordan and Egypt to resettle approximately two million Palestinians who would be affected.
Both Jordan and Egypt previously rejected this idea when Trump brought it up at a news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week. However, on Tuesday, King Abdullah took a more reserved stance when pressed by journalists about the potential displacement of Gazans to facilitate U.S. control over the territory.
Instead of directly opposing Trump’s proposal, the king suggested that Jordan and Egypt should consult with other Arab nations, including Egypt, regarding the matter.
