US President Donald Trump should have arrived in Saudi Arabia after managing to end genocide of Palestinians by Israel. Still, he chose to visit the Gulf, and the toothless Arab leaders had little choice but to welcome the Israeli ally with grand investment deals ready like dishes on a table.
Trump began a four-day tour across the Gulf with business on his mind, not regional crises like Gaza or tensions with Iran. Accompanied by powerful business leaders, including Tesla’s Elon Musk, he landed in Riyadh to attend the Saudi-US Investment Forum.
He is also visiting Qatar and the UAE, skipping Israel for now. But it does not make any difference to Israel as the bully state knows that the Trump-led America will toe its policies, not matter how much bloodshed they entail.
At the forum, Saudi officials spoke proudly of stronger ties with the US beyond just oil, highlighting plans for vast investments. Saudi Minister Khalid al-Falih stressed that US-Saudi business partnerships bring great success. A video showing eagles and falcons played, celebrating their long relationship.
The world is told that behind the scenes, talks continue on difficult issues. Even though the US said it is urging Israel to agree to a ceasefire in Gaza and it also held quiet meetings with Iran in Oman about its nuclear programme, no visible change is likely. Trump’s main focus remains business: arms deals worth over $100 billion and investments possibly reaching a trillion dollars.
Despite Trump’s hopes of expanding Israel’s ties with Arab countries under the Abraham Accords, real progress seems far off due to Israel’s hard stance on Gaza and Palestine. In Qatar, Trump may receive a luxury Boeing 747 as a gift, which he plans to use for his presidential library – a reminder that for Trump, image and influence remain central to his politics. *