Jordan faces the plan to displace Palestinians: Challenges and diplomatic moves

Professor of Strategic Studies at Al-Hussein Bin Talal University

The statements of US President Donald Trump regarding the possibility of displacing Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to neighboring countries, including Jordan, have sparked a wave of concern and controversy in regional and international political circles. These statements, which reflect an extremist trend within the US administration, pose major challenges for Jordan that require decisive diplomatic action to protect its national security and reject any projects that would reshape the demographic reality in the region.

This Jordanian concern comes amid a tense regional context, as Israel seeks to impose new facts on the ground, while Arab countries face international pressure to find solutions that are in line with these agendas, which requires a firm stance to maintain the stability of the region.

Jordan, under the leadership of King Abdullah II, has declared its categorical rejection of any attempt to displace Palestinians outside their homeland, stressing that this proposal represents a flagrant violation of international law and peace agreements. The Jordanian position is based on historical constants, as Jordan has always been a defender of Palestinian rights and rejected all attempts to liquidate the Palestinian cause through settlement projects or forced displacement.

However, the political reality imposes serious challenges on Jordan related to its ability to confront international and regional pressures, as well as the economic and security challenges that may result from any new wave of refugees.

The challenges facing Jordan in this context are multiple, most notably the political pressures that may be exerted by the United States and some Western powers to show some flexibility towards this file. In addition, any new wave of displacement may lead to internal tensions, given the sensitivity of the demographic balance in the Kingdom.

The economic impacts cannot be ignored, as Jordan suffers from increasing financial challenges, and any increase in the number of refugees will exacerbate the pressure on resources and infrastructure. In addition, the security aspect constitutes a major concern, as the influx of large numbers of displaced persons could lead to complex security repercussions, especially in light of the tense conditions in the region.

In the face of these challenges, the diplomatic option remains the most powerful weapon that Jordan can use to confront this plan. Jordanian action must be on several levels, the first of which is strengthening cooperation with major Arab countries such as Egypt and Saudi Arabia to create a unified front that rejects any projects aimed at displacing Palestinians.

There must also be intensive pressure at the international level through the United Nations and the European Union, to emphasize that forced displacement constitutes a flagrant violation of international law. It is also necessary to employ Jordanian relations with American political institutions that oppose these extremist trends, in order to influence the decisions of the American administration and direct international public opinion against any moves that may lead to imposing a new reality in the region.

Under international law, the forced displacement of populations is a war crime, and Jordan seeks to take advantage of this point in diplomatic moves to reject any plan of this kind, whether at the United Nations or through regional alliances.

Jordan's position on this issue is not merely a political position, but rather a defense of the stability of the entire region, as accepting such plans means opening the door to radical changes in the political map of the Middle East, which is something that neither Jordan nor any other country in the region can bear. Jordanian diplomacy is facing a real test at this sensitive stage, and it must move quickly and effectively to abort any attempts that may lead to the implementation of the displacement plan, while emphasizing that the only solution to the Palestinian issue is to achieve a just settlement that guarantees the rights of the Palestinians in their independent state, and not through the policies of exclusion and displacement that some forces seek to impose on the ground.