Arab plan in place to rebuild Gaza without displacing residents: Jordan

An Arab, Egyptian and Palestinian plan is in place to rebuild Gaza without displacing its residents, Jordan’s foreign minister said yesterday.

In an interview with Al-Mamlaka television, Ayman Safadi emphasised the need to continue sending aid to Gaza and ensure that the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is upheld. He did not provide specific details on the reconstruction plan.

Safadi stressed that Jordan’s position is based on the principle that “Jordan is for Jordanians, and Palestine is for Palestinians.”

He pointed out that Jordan’s King Abdullah II along with US President Donald Trump have offered “practical ideas” for the region.

He also noted that Trump has recognised Jordan’s central role in supporting regional stability.

In a separate interview with the Qatari news outlet Al Jazeera, Safadi stressed that Jordan’s priority is to protect the country and its citizens.

“This is the foundation of our dialogue with President Trump,” he said.

He also highlighted that Arab coordination is capable of presenting an alternative to Trump’s plan to resolve the Gaza crisis, one that ends the humanitarian disaster without displacing the residents.

“We have our vision and Trump has his,” Safadi said. “We believe Gaza can be rebuilt without displacing its residents.”

“We told Trump that Palestine belongs to Palestinians and Jordan belongs to Jordanians,” he added, stressing that Jordan’s position was clear: work toward a just and comprehensive peace without displacing Palestinians.

Trump hosted King Abdullah II at the White House yesterday, marking the first meeting between the US president and an Arab leader since his inauguration on 20 January.

Following the meeting, King Abdullah posted on his official X account, reiterating his rejection of the displacement of Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank.

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.

— عبدالله بن الحسين (@KingAbdullahII) February 11, 2025

On 4 February, Trump announced at a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the US intended to seize Gaza and ethnically cleanse Palestinians from it, moving them to neighboring countries, including Egypt and Jordan to allow Gaza to be transformed to the “Riviera of the Middle East”.

Trump’s plan has faced widespread rejection from Palestinians, Arabs and the international community while receiving significant political support within Israel.

Jordan King rejects Palestinian displacement in White House talks with Trump