President Donald J. Trump and King Abdullah II of Jordan at the United Nations General Assembly (Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead)
Trump tells the world he will clear Gaza of Palestinians, a smiling Netanyahu sits by his side in front of a roaring fire in the Oval office, everyone is horrified. Yet less than one week later, a week in which Trump has not only doubled-down on his ethnic cleansing plan but has also threatened to abort the perilous Gaza ceasefire deal, Jordan’s King Abdullah went to Washington.
Prior to the trip, King Abdullah along with Egypt’s President Sisi had rejected Trump’s plans to transform Gaza from rubble into the ‘Rivera of the Middle East’. Both leaders responded to Trump’s grotesque announcement by condemning the plan, saying they would refuse to accept any refugees who had been forceable evicted from their homeland. But tweets are cheap.
Unlike Sisi, who reportedly cancelled his visit to Washington, Abdullah went to the White House. Of course he could have used the opportunity to speak out, to stand up for the rights of Palestinians to self-determination, to reject any notion of redevelopment which excluded the Palestinian people, but he didn’t. Instead Abdullah appeared to go out his way to not contradict Trump, mostly refusing to speak at all.
We do not know for sure what was said behind closed doors, and Abdullah insisted he put forward the case for Palestinians being included in the redevelopment of the strip, but in the glare of the world’s media he remained schtum, while Trump persisted with his appalling plan.
With the Arab leader by his side Trump said he wouldn’t be buying Gaza, but would just take it. ’We’re going to take it. We’re going to hold it,’ he said, and in response to reporters questions about Israel’s bombardment of the West Bank, Trump appeared to endorse its annexation, claiming the ‘West Bank is going to work out very well’.
After Trump’s ethic cleansing comments heading to the Whitehouse for a cosy fireside chat is not something any Arab leader should countenance. But then like Egypt, Jordan relies heavily on US military and economic aid. And Abdullah is not alone, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, king of Bahrain, will meet with Trump later this week.
Abdullah avoided directly contradicting his financial backer. He even went so far as to claim, apparently without irony, that in Trump he could, “finally see somebody that can take us across the finish line to bring stability, peace and prosperity to all of us in the region.” Yet only the day before Trump had threatened to call a halt to the ceasefire if all Israeli hostages were not released by Hamas by noon on Saturday. Abdullah’s silence and appeasement of Trump was unconscionable.
Trump’s eviction plan cannot happen without the acquiescence of Arab leaders, particularly the leaders whose countries border Israel, but on the evidence so far it looks as if they will not put up much resistance.
All the while Netanyahu and the zionists are being strengthened. Following Trump’s ceasefire comments Netanyahu said that if the hostages are not released ‘the IDF will return to intense fighting until Hama is finally defeated.’ His threat more vague than Trump’s in terms of hostage numbers – 76 hostages remain in Gaza, three are scheduled for release on Saturday under the ceasefire agreement – Netanyahu fears jeopardising the release of the three and incurring the wrath of the Israeli population, many of whom believe the fate of the hostages has never been his priority.
In preparation for cancelling the ceasefire – in Trump’s words letting ‘all hell break loose,’ – Netanyahu has instructed IDF forces to amass inside Gaza and on its border. The IDF have kept forces inside the strip throughout the ceasefire, and now troop numbers are being extensively bolstered and reservists called up in advance of Saturday’s deadline. The thread that held the ceasefire together is rapidly fraying.
Trump has emboldened Netanyahu. The global Palestine movement is more important than ever. It’s up to us to put pressure on our government, to speak up against the genocide and ethnic cleansing, and demand the ceasefire remains intact. It is imperative Saturday’s march to the US embassy is as big as possible.