WASHINGTON, Feb 12: President Donald Trump on Tuesday doubled down on his idea of exiling Palestinians and placing a rebuilt Gaza under "US authority," but faced pushback from visiting Jordanian King Abdullah II.
"I reiterated Jordan's steadfast position against the displacement of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. This is the unified Arab position. Rebuilding Gaza without displacing the Palestinians and addressing the dire humanitarian situation should be the priority for all," Abdullah said on social media after the talks.
However, he told Trump that Egypt was working on a plan for how countries in the region could "work" with Trump on his shock proposal.
The Jordanian monarch also appeared to offer a sweetener to Trump, who the day before the visit floated the possibility of halting US aid to Jordan if it did not take in refugees.
"One of the things that we can do right away is take 2,000 children, cancer children who are in a very ill state. That is possible," Abdullah said as Trump welcomed him and Crown Prince Hussein in the Oval Office. —AFP
