Jordan's King Abdullah II was visibly uncomfortable as he sat across from US President Donald Trump and discussed the fate of over two million Palestinians in Gaza.

Trump's proposed plan to take over Gaza and "clean out" the territory of its Palestinian residents, sending them to Jordan or Egypt, had already sent the region into a tailspin.

But in Tuesday's meeting in Washington, the tension between Trump's vision and the reality that King Abdullah -- whose wife is of Palestinian descent -- has long negotiated was palpable in the exchange between the two leaders.

"The king may be in the most complicated situation of his reign" of more than 25 years, said analyst Labib Kamhawi.

He nonetheless "sought to deal with Trump calmly and not to enter into a direct confrontation with a country that is meant to be an ally", Kamhawi added.

Instead, the king "confirmed the unified Arab stance rejecting the displacement (of Palestinians) and said he would work for the benefit of Jordan and its people", Kamhawi said.

During the meeting, Trump doubled down on his........

© Al Monitor