Trump’s Gaza proposal rattles the Middle East. There’s even more surprises: NPR

Damascus, Syria – President Trump is already stirring up the Middle East by proposing to buy the US in Gaza and migrate two million Palestinians.

The US president has hinted at plans for other countries in the region, including Syria, Saudi Arabia and Iran, but he hasn’t written it, but more drama could soon go on.

In the vast stone courtyard of the 8th century Umayyad Mosque, Syrian lawyer Ahmedkasab offers a message for Trump.

“Syria has been exhausted from 14 years of war. We don’t want any more war. We want peace. We want to live,” Kassab said. Ta.

Like many Syrians, Kassab wanted friendly relations between Syria and the United States, and Washington and the country, once ruled by his former Bashar al-Assad and his father Hafez al-Assad. I hope to put an end to decades of friction between them.

Kassab says it’s time to lift the widespread sanctions imposed during the Syrian civil war that ended with Assad’s expulsion in December.

In a series of cuff comments, Trump has dropped clues as to what he is likely to do in the Middle East. This addresses the aftermath of some recent conflicts. However, the lack of details and Trump’s unpredictable nature make the comments difficult to interpret.

“There’s a scramble to understand what Trump does in the Middle East,” said Paul Salem, a Beirut-based analyst at the Middle East Institute. “It’s a bit off to see the message, “Nothing is certain, everything is on the table. Everything has to be renegotiated.” ” “

Syria is “confusion”

In Syria, Trump says he intends to keep his distance.

“We’re not involved in Syria. Syria is its own mess. They have enough mess there. They don’t need us to get involved,” Trump recently said. Ta.

However, the United States still has an army of around 2,000 people in northeastern Syria, preventing the revival of the Islamic state.

In his first term, Trump wanted to withdraw American troops after the Islamic State was defeated. However, his advisor then spoke to him, claiming that he could soothe more confusion if the wreckage of the extremist group was not restrained.

So far, Trump has said he is uncommitted and is only saying he is assessing the situation. However, it is not clear whether new Syrian troops will be able to contain the Islamic state if the president removes these forces. The Syrian army remains cobblestoned from various armed factions, and is still an ongoing work.

Along with Washington’s Institute for Arab Gulf Countries, Hussein Ibisch said a small number of US troops play a key role.

“You couldn’t ask for a big bang for the money,” Ibish said. “It’s a small number, but the impact of their removal is substantial because there is a scramble for power in Syria and neighboring Iraq.”

These US troops also work closely with the Kurdish forces, or the SDF, which are part of the Syrian Democratic Forces. Kurds will feel very vulnerable when Americans leave, Ibish added.

The seduction of investment trading in Saudi Arabia

In contrast to Syria, Trump wants to work closely with Saudi Arabia. His goal is clear. The three-way contract between Israel and Saudi Arabia will establish diplomatic ties, and the US will strengthen its economic ties with Saudi Arabia.

“He’ll be very close to Saudi Arabia and the Gulf countries,” Salem said, along with the Middle East Institute. “He’s a businessman. He’s interested in investment, technology and energy markets.”

Saudi Arabians already have a prospect of investing $600 billion in the US

But Trump’s pursuit of Megadale could clash with troubling details of unresolved regional issues, like the establishment of a Palestinian state.

“Saudi Arabia is very clear that prices (for diplomacy and business transactions) have risen, and they are heading in that direction for the creation of a Palestinian state or iron chain movement,” Ibish said. said.

However, Israel’s current government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is completely opposed to the Palestinian state. And tensions are still high as Israel and Hamas are trying to navigate a volatile ceasefire deal in Gaza.

Trump is hoping that the US will take over Gaza, with two million residents located elsewhere in the area, perhaps Egypt and Jordan. But these and other Arab countries, like Palestinians, have stressed and rejected Trump’s plans.

Jordan’s King Abdullah met Trump at the White House on Tuesday, saying he emphasized “Jordan’s steady stance on the movement of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.”

In a social media post, he said, “This is a unified Arab position. Rebuilding Gaza without stoking away the Palestinians and dealing with the dire humanitarian situation should be a priority for everyone. “It writes.

Trump is facing weakened Iran

Then there’s Iran. Trump recently signed an executive order calling for “maximum pressure” in Tehran. This is the same approach that Trump took throughout his first term, but he said he hopes this time there’s no need to resort to pressure tactics.

Iran has been weakened in several ways. Israel attacked Iranian agents, Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. When Assad was banished in Syria, Iran lost its important allies. And Israeli airstrikes have caused serious damage to Iran’s air defenses, making them much more vulnerable in future conflicts.

Eyal Hulata, a former Israeli national security adviser, said this is the best time to squeeze Iran hard until Trump makes big concessions to its nuclear program.

“What’s needed is to re-engage in the pressure campaign,” said Hulata, who is now based in Washington. “Iran needs to give nuclear ambitions for a very long time.”

However, Hussein Ibisch said Iran may be willing to negotiate now. He suggested that Trump make an offer to Iran along these lines. I’m sick due to disaster.

In his first term, Trump tried to reduce the US footprint in the Middle East. President Barack Obama and Joe Biden took a similar approach. But so far we have discovered everything that the turmoil in the Middle East continues to pull them back.