King Abdullah II of Jordan and President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi are forming a united front to oppose the White House’s plans for reconstructing the Gaza Strip.
The world leaders simultaneously issued statements expressing their disapproval of President Donald Trump‘s proposal on Thursday after a bilateral phone call that “covered the importance of maintaining the Gaza ceasefire and increasing aid to all areas in the Strip.”
“The two leaders reaffirmed their shared position in rejecting the displacement of Palestinians, and their keenness on maintaining coordination to ensure the Palestinians gain their full legitimate rights,” Jordan’s Royal Hashemite Court announced.
However, the pair did not seek to characterize themselves as opposing Trump himself, emphasizing their “keenness on cooperating closely with US President Donald Trump to achieve just and lasting peace in the Middle East.”
Under Trump’s proposal, Jordan and Egypt would take in Palestinian refugees from Gaza as the United States takes control of the strip and begins a “long-term” infrastructure rebuilding project.
The president has flipped back and forth on whether Gazans sent to Jordan and Egypt would be returned to their land after the years of reconstruction, but he recently clarified that there would not be a “right of return.”
Both nations are staunchly against solutions to the Gaza matter that would push individuals into their own borders on the grounds that any long-term solution for the region must include an autonomous, sovereign state for the Palestinian people.
Another fear shared between the countries is that an influx of Palestinians could allow Hamas affiliates and other anti-Israeli terrorist cells to infiltrate and launch attacks from inside their borders — risking being dragged into a conflict they’ve had for decades.
It is unlikely that this joint opposition from Abdullah and El-Sisi will dissuade Trump from continuing to push his proposal for Gaza, which he said would transform the strip into the “Riviera of the Middle East.”
The King of Jordan has tried to remain friendly with Trump despite his repeated rejection of the president’s idea, saying yesterday at the White House, “I truly believe, with all the challenges that we have in the Middle East, that I finally see somebody that can take us across the finish line to bring stability, peace, and prosperity to all of us in the region.”
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In contrast, unconfirmed reports have emerged from Middle Eastern outlets that El-Sisi is postponing his visit to the White House, which was scheduled for Feb. 18.
Both nations are major recipients of U.S. foreign aid. A feud with Trump risks becoming the latest target in his shotgun-tariffing diplomacy — seen in his dealings with countries such as Canada, Mexico, China, Colombia, and the members of the European Union.
