uncertainty across middle east
Last Updated : GMT 05:17:37
Emiratesvoice, emirates voice
Emiratesvoice, emirates voice
Last Updated : GMT 05:17:37
Emiratesvoice, emirates voice

After Trump victory

Uncertainty across Middle East

Emiratesvoice, emirates voice

Emiratesvoice, emirates voice Uncertainty across Middle East

Questions hang over the war against the Islamic State group
Beirut - Arab Today

Uncertainty spread across the Middle East following Donald Trump's US election win, with questions hanging over the war against the Islamic State group, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Iran's nuclear deal.

In some parts of the region the surprise victory was welcomed with calls for Trump to take action, in others it sparked alarm. 

But it was unclear what impact Trump's isolationist views would have on US engagements in the Middle East, adding nore confusion to an already volatile region.

- 'True friend' of Israel -

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rushed to congratulate Trump on his win, calling him a "true friend" of the Jewish state.

"I look forward to working with him to advance security, stability and peace in our region," the right-wing premier said in a statement.

"I am confident that president-elect Trump and I will continue to strengthen the unique alliance between our two countries and bring it to ever greater heights."

Meeting Netanyahu in New York in September, Trump pledged to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's "undivided" capital if elected, in a break with longstanding US policy.

Trump's adviser on Israel, David Friedman, also said last month the candidate was "tremendously sceptical" about the prospects for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Israeli Education Minister Naftali Bennett, who heads the hardline Jewish Home party, said that with Trump's election: "The era of a Palestinian state is over."

- 'Nice surprise' in Damascus -

Palestinian reaction to Trump's win was muted.

"We are ready to deal with the elected president on the basis of a two-state solution and to establish a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders," Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas's spokesman said.

Nabil Abu Rudeina said failure to resolve the decades-old conflict would mean "the unstable situation will continue in the region".

During the campaign Trump repeatedly pledged to "destroy" the jihadist Islamic State group, but presented no clear plan for how.

A US-led coalition is backing Iraqi forces and a Syrian militia alliance as they battle to drive IS from Mosul and Raqa, its last major strongholds in the two countries.

How Trump moves forward with the anti-IS offensive will depend on how he intends to deal with traditional US allies in the region, in particular Sunni Arab Gulf states, and his approach to the war in Syria.

Washington has backed rebel forces opposing President Bashar al-Assad in Syria's five-year civil war, and Hillary Clinton was especially supportive of regime change.

But Trump has repeatedly voiced admiration for Vladimir Putin and advocated a US rapprochement with Russia -- one of Assad's strongest supporters along with Iran.

Trump said earlier this year that fighting both IS and Assad simultaneously was "madness, and idiocy".

Waddah Abed Rabbo, editor-in-chief of pro-regime Syrian daily Al-Watan, said Trump's win came as a "nice surprise" in Damascus.

"It is time for the policies of the United States to change and stop being hostage to the catastrophic wishes of the Gulf countries, which have destroyed several countries in the region," he said.

A Syrian rebel official said opposition forces were actually hoping for more support from Washington.

"The Americans, by their hesitation, have allowed the regime and its allies to commit barbaric massacres against civilians in Syria," said Bassam Mustafa of the Nureddin al-Zinki rebel group, one of the more powerful factions in rebel-held areas of Aleppo city.

Displaced Syrians near the Turkish border reacted with cynicism to Trump's win.

- 'Not possible' to change Iran deal -

"The new American president won't be any different from the last one," said Abdul Rahman Ahmad, a teacher and one of millions forced to flee their homes since 2011.

"When it comes to us Syrians, both of them have the same viewpoint. They don't care about the Syrian people, all they care about is killing Muslims."

While Trump's intentions elsewhere in the Middle East may be vague, his stand on last year's nuclear deal between world powers and Iran was clear -- Trump described it as "disastrous" and said it would be his "number one priority" to dismantle the agreement.

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani, who staked his political reputation on the deal in the face of fierce hardline opposition, said there was no way Trump could rip it up.

"The accord was not concluded with one country or government but was approved by a resolution of the UN Security Council and there is no possibility that it can be changed by a single government," Rouhani said, according to state television.

"The United States no longer has the capacity to create Iranophobia and to create a consensus against Iran," Rouhani said. 

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Trump needed to "understand the realities of today's world." 

"The most important thing is that the future US president stick to agreements, to engagements undertaken," he said.

- Saudi king urges 'stability' -

Washington's longstanding allies in the Gulf have bristled under President Barack Obama, who they felt was reluctant to get involved in regional conflicts and did not do enough to check the ambitions of their regional rival Iran.

Congratulating Trump on the win, Saudi Arabia's King Salman praised "historic and tight" ties with the United States and wished him success "in your mission to achieve security and stability in the Middle East and worldwide."

United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan also said his country was eager to strengthen "strategic relations" with Washington.

Source: AFP

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

uncertainty across middle east uncertainty across middle east

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

uncertainty across middle east uncertainty across middle east

 



GMT 09:54 2018 Wednesday ,24 January

'Friendly and kind' N. Korean skaters

GMT 09:36 2017 Thursday ,07 December

Heidy Karam’s contract to present talk show close

GMT 10:50 2012 Friday ,20 January

Dusty weather expected in UAE on Friday

GMT 09:35 2018 Saturday ,13 January

New Zealand bat first in third ODI against Pakistan

GMT 10:48 2017 Saturday ,23 December

Meryl Streep's brand under threat

GMT 06:53 2017 Thursday ,11 May

17th Doha Forum To Begin Sunday

GMT 10:30 2017 Thursday ,23 November

Reports underline proliferation of weapons in Arab world

GMT 07:46 2017 Monday ,30 October

Catch it early, treat it early and move on

GMT 08:05 2015 Tuesday ,17 February

Conan O'Brien is first late night host to film in Cuba

GMT 16:17 2018 Thursday ,30 August

Five Saudi women pilots granted GACA licences
 
 Emirates Voice Facebook,emirates voice facebook  Emirates Voice Twitter,emirates voice twitter Emirates Voice Rss,emirates voice rss  Emirates Voice Youtube,emirates voice youtube  Emirates Voice Youtube,emirates voice youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

emiratesvoieen emiratesvoiceen emiratesvoiceen emiratesvoiceen
emiratesvoice emiratesvoice emiratesvoice
emiratesvoice
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
emiratesvoice, Emiratesvoice, Emiratesvoice