Trump visits the Middle East when regional crises flicker

Riad, Saudi Arabia (AP) -On his trip to the Middle East, US President Donald Trump Saudi -Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates will visit, although his most urgent regional challenges affect two other countries: Israel and Iran.

After Israel ended a ceasefire two months ago, Israel strengthens the War in the Gaza StripWhere a blockade about food, medicine and other supplies worsen a Humanitarian crisis. And Iran, an enemy of Israel and a rival of Saudi Arabia, is about to be able to be able to be able Develop nuclear weapons.

Nevertheless, Trump will focus on three energy -rich nations that are available or planned Real estate projects with Trump brand – Places where he wants to use American economic interests to do what he personally indulges: business deals.

“This is his lucky place,” said Jon B. Alterman, Senior Vice President at Washington's Center for Strategic and International Studies. “His hosts will be generous and hospitable. They will be happy to do business. They will flatter them and not criticize him. And they will treat their family members as past and future business partners.”

Trump card said on Sunday he was ready to accept A luxury Boing 747-8 Jumbo Jet As a gift from the ruling family of QatarCriticism of some democrats and allies of the President.

Trump cannot be able to avoid diplomacy in the Gaza or Iran: The golf people who organize it are also interested in relieving the regional tensions that come from these two places.

“Trump can easily achieve a victory by insure them through the strategic commitment of America for the region, showing consistent messaging and generally increasing over the fight,” wrote the analysts Elizabeth Dent and Simon Henderson from the Washington Institute for Nah Ost Policy on Friday.

Trump does not plan to visit Israel

Trump did not plan a trip to Israel during his second term as president during his first trip to the region, Trump increasingly a feeling in Israel that his interests have his interests It may not be in the foreground for him.

This sense intensified last week when Trump announced that the United States would stop his strikes On the Houthis, a group of rebel supported by Iran, who agreed to stop their attacks on American ships in the Red Sea.

The attacks of the Houthis on Israel did not seem to be covered by this deal, which surprised Israel, according to an Israeli civil servant who spoke about the condition of anonymity in order to discuss a sensitive diplomatic topic. Days after the deal between the United States and the Houthis and despite a two-day Israeli attack on Houthi-Ziele-solste, a rocket from Yemen in Israel again the air raid sires. Then Israel's military warned on Sunday that Houthi controlled ports in Yemen could be targeted again.

Trump's move to start negotiations with Iran through his nuclear program also started Israel, which fears to fear a deal that would not be strict enough to prevent Iran from maintaining a nuclear weapon or supporting his support for regional militant groups.

Israel had hoped that Trump could provide military support on every strike that it has carried out in the country's nuclear facilities – an unrealistic action as long as there is negotiations or when they achieve a deal.

This has raised questions about Trump's reliability in other important questions in Israel Every defense pact The administration can reach the kingdom. Saudi Arabia said that relationships with Israel would only normalize in exchange for significant concessions for the Palestinians, which the current Israeli government will probably not agree.

Israel has explained that the expansion of the war into Gaza Strip will hold back to Trump's visit and that the window remains open to a new armistice shop to materialize. The Hamas and Trump announced that the last living American hostage in Gaza, Edan Alexanderis released as part of the efforts to determine an armistice, although it is not clear what participation Israel had in this deal.

Nevertheless, Trump has given Israel free reins in the Gaza Strip and how Israel was responsible for all civilian victims.

For Trump's decision not to visit the country, the US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has a meaning for Trump's decision in interviews with Israeli media that his visit to the region focuses on economic issues.

Not a big breakthrough in the Iranian nuclear discussions

For Iran, a lot depends on the Conversations It has with the USA about its rapidly progressing nuclear program. A reported two-month period that has reached a deal has probably been concluded, since US officials signal that America is pushing to Iran to completely enrich them-in ominous, which Tehran insisted on a red line.

Although four conversations conveyed by Oman have not led to a big breakthrough, they have entered the so-called “expert level” what means that details about a possible agreement have probably been discussed.

The Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi traveled to Saudi Arabia and Qatar on the weekend before Trump's trip. Iran is likely to try to pass on messages to the USA and to signal his interest in continuing the discussions. The Iranian officials were increasingly threatening to pursue a nuclear weapon, while Trump and Israel both threatened to strike Iranian nuclear sites if a deal is not achieved.

The Islamic Republic has the options. His economy has unilaterally crater since Trump in 2018 to pull America out of its initial nuclear deal with world powers. And the self-described “axis of resistance” of the Iran-a group of oriented nations and militant groups, including the Hamas in Gaza and the Hisbollah in Lebanon-Wurde since the beginning of the Israel Hamas War.

Iran is also exposed to internal political pressure, also by women who are increasingly refusing to wear the state headscarf or hijab.

However, there is one thing that combines most Iranians – proud of the Persian Gulf. Trump's idea of ​​uniformly designating America to the body of the water “Arab Golf” Instead, violent criticism from all over the country pulled.

“This Golf has always been the Persian Golf – and it will remain the Persian Gulf forever,” said Tehran's Friday prayer leader Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami.

Trump's departure in 2017 is still pursuing the Golf

After his trip to Saudi Arabia, Trump will go to Qatar, which has recently announced plans for Trump brand development there.

This close hug of the President apparently does the so -called Qatar crisis after his first trip to the Middle East – in 2017. At that time, Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates Qatar boycotted his support from Islamists in the region and its connections to Iran, with which it shares a massive offshore earth -earth field.

The dispute became so serious that Kuwait's prevailing Emir at this time, Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al SabahProposed during a visit to the White House there could have been “military measures”.

Trump first criticized Qatar At the beginning of the boycott “Historically, a terrorist sponsor at a very high level”. Less than a year later He praised Qatar and rolled it back. The four nations Ended her boycott shortly before the office of Biden.

Any aircraft, which is given to the USA by Qatar, could be converted into a potential presidential aircraft, said US officials – which would represent the President an amazingly valuable gift from a foreign government. “This was just a gesture of good faith” from Qatar, who knew that Boing had joined delays on the next generation of the aircraft Air Force One, Trump said in the White House on Monday.

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Goldenberg reported by Tel Aviv, Israel. AP reporter Darlene Superville in Washington contributed.