President Donald Trump speaks as he signs executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House, Mo (Image: AP)
Donald Trump’s plan to displace hundreds of thousands of Gazans to Jordan risks destabilising one of the region’s most pro-Western countries, experts warned.
Islamic militants hidden within the influx of refugees could help Iran sew up support within the country, and establish a new direct route into the West Bank.
The US President insisted on Friday that Jordan and Egypt will support his proposal to resettle Palestinians in their countries on a “temporary or permanent” basis, saying the idea would “get people living in areas that are a lot safer and maybe a lot better and maybe a lot more comfortable.”
He added:“They will do it. We do a lot for them, and they’re gonna do it.”
Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff has recently concluded that it would take 10-15 years to build a devastated Gaza after a tour of the region.
The plan has already been soundly rebuffed by both Cairo and Amman, with the Palestinian Authority portraying it as an attempt at ethnic cleansing.
Jordan’s King Abdullah II expressed his “firm position on the need to keep the Palestinians on their land and to guarantee their legitimate rights, in accordance with the Israeli and Palestinian two-state solution.”
But Jordan has even deeper problems.
The pro- constitutional monarchy has been facing increased pressure from within, as Iranian-sponsored activists seek to unseat its government over its failure to support Hamas over the past 15 months.
King Abdullah is concerned, sources say, by the threat of hundreds of active jihadists and terrorists entering the country among the influx of innocent Gazans.
Displaced Gazans return to their homes – but will they be allowed to stay there? (Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)
Jordan’s King Abdullah meets with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo, in 2023. (Image: The Egyptian Presidency)
Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is watching the situation carefully (Image: Iranian Leader’s Press Office)
“Iran is looking for ways to reconstitute its so-called ring of fire around after everything that has happened with Hezbollah, Hamas, and Syria, and Tehran has been making efforts to establish networks in Jordan,“ said regional expert Megan Sutcliffe, of the Sibylline strategic risk group.
“A major displacement of Palestinians into Jordan would almost certainly include substantial numbers of unidentified militants.
“And if we were to see individuals associated with Hamas and Palestine Islamic Jihad – particularly if they were living in refugee camps – that would certainly be an opportunity for Iran to expand its influence or re-establish its influence on ‘s borders.”
She added: “In addition, Gazans who have links to those groups may attempt to establish a through road into the West Bank. That would be incredibly concerning for Jordan, for its relations with and, of course, for the stability of the West Bank as a whole which we know is already heating up. “
Another factor is the economic impact on Jordan’s treasury given the number of refugees already in the country.
Jordan is already home to 2.3 million Palestinians or their descendants from 1948 and contains an additional 700,000 refugees, mainly from Syria.
“It would also be a massive strain on Jordan’s economy, particularly when considering that they are not an oil-producing nation,” she added.
“The dissatisfaction this causes among its people could place extra pressure on the government.”