Donald J. Trump has been elected once again as the president of the United States after beating Vice President Kamala Harris.
It is expected that the high-tensioned and underconflict region of the Middle East that is on the brink of wider war due to escalating tension between Hamas, Hezbollah, and Israel would be on the list of his main agendas.
According to CNN, Trump during his first term in the White House made some historic steps for the Middle East, including his first foreign trip to Saudi Arabia, an attempt to break the “deal of the century” between Israel and Palestine, intensified pressure on Iran, and made efforts to strengthen the Jewish state’s regional integration.
Here is how a Republican president’s second term could affect the Middle East:
Israel’s War on Palestine
Israel's war on Gaza is currently the key issue in the Middle East. Although Trump has a very strong relationship with Israel, it is expected that during his presidency the war will be ended soon, as the 78-year-old “does not like wars.”
Mustafa Barghouti, leader of the Palestinian National Initiative, said, “Netanyahu will face a much tougher president than he is used to in the sense that I don’t think that Trump would tolerate the wars in the manner that they are happening,” adding that for Palestine it would not make any difference “because both administrations were totally biased” towards Israel.
Meanwhile, Alon Pinkas, a former Israeli diplomat, told CNN, “He will say: wrap it up; I don’t need this.”
Trump in April asserted that Israel needs to “finish what they started” and “get it over with fast.”
Iran
Trump's four years in office will be a challenging period for Iran, as it is expected that the Republican administration will intensify scrutiny and “maximise pressure” on Tehran.
Despite having a reputation as a skilled dealmaker, Trump failed to contain influence on Iran. Even his relationship with Iran intensified after he withdrew from the 2015 nuclear agreement to curtail Iran’s nuclear program, reimposed sanctions, and ordered the assassination of its military commander, Qasem Soleimani.
Moreover, Ali Vaez, director of the Iran Project and senior adviser at the International Crisis Group, noted, “The Islamic Republic appears as fragile as the threats against it are formidable.”
Trump earlier also accused Iran of interfering in the US presidential elections by hacking his campaign accounts, while Iran denied all the allegations.
So, improving the relationship with Iran for the peace of the region would be a challenge for the newly elected president as it is one of the main agent of conflict in the Middle East.
