JERUSALEM, Israel – President Donald Trump wrapped up his Middle East visit in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, a country with which the U.S. has had close ties for decades and was the first to sign the Abraham Accords with Israel.
The four-day visit may even have opened the doors for Syria to join the accords.
Israel is quietly opening diplomatic channels with the new Syrian regime after the president met Syria’s new leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, in Saudi Arabia and lifted sanctions against the country.
Celebrations broke out in Damascus, and al-Sharra hailed the move as “historic and courageous.”
“Syria pledges to be a land of peace and joint action and to be loyal to every hand extended to it,” he stated. “Syria will no longer be an arena for the struggle for influence or a platform for foreign ambitions.” 0:13
Trump extended an invitation to al-Sharaa to become part of the Abraham Accords, and he reportedly said yes.
Press reports indicate that Senior Israeli Defense Forces and National Security Council officials met with Syrian regime officials in Baku, Azerbaijan, about the possibility of enlarging the Middle East pact.
Trump and other regional players are interested in pulling Syria out of the grip of Iran, which propped up the former regime of Bashar al-Assad for years.
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The U.S. president received a warm welcome from U.A.E. President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan and was greeted with an unusual “hair dance” during his last stop on the Middle East tour. Both presidents hailed the close ties between their countries.
Trump left the palace in Abu Dhabi after a state dinner on Thursday evening, his last night in the Middle East.
In Doha, Qatar, where talks are taking place for the release of the hostages, U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff told other mediators that the U.S. doesn’t plan to force Israel to end the war in Gaza.
Many Israelis were concerned by the president’s meetings, deals, and offers to leaders with whom Israel doesn’t have good relations.
However, Middle East expert Elie Pieprz, director of international relations for the Israel Defense and Security Forum, told CBN News Israel’s relations with the U.S. are far better than they were a year ago, and the U.S. must take care of its own national interests first.
“That doesn’t mean that President Trump doesn’t value the interests of its strong ally, Israel,” Pieprz stated, “And I think President Trump has made it clear that he values Israel as an ally, sees Israel and the US fighting the same war against the same enemies.”
He added, “So I don’t think his eyes are closed. I think he is trying to project a strong American foreign policy that (it) first prioritize its own national interests and only second, prioritize the interests of its allies like Israel.”
Pieprz believes Trump is really backing Israeli sovereignty and isn’t trying to control its military, and that Israel’s enemies understand that.
“He is not, doesn’t have the ability, and frankly, doesn’t have the interest in constraining Israel, because Israel’s interest ultimately is America’s interests,” Pieprz said.
Israelis in Jerusalem had mixed feelings about Trump’s visit and what it meant.
One man, Effi Hasut, declared, President Trump, he does what’s good for America, I think. He’s going to do big business over there, so I don’t think it’s got to do with Israel (or) anything because he’s a friend of Israel, and it looks like he continues to be friends of Israel.”
Leah told us in Jerusalem, “I’m happy he’s in the region. I’m not happy he didn’t visit Israel. I mean, you have to take it (as) a little bit of an affront. I don’t think it would have been hard for him to make a stop here. I think that speaks volumes. But the fact is, I’m grateful for what he did. I’m grateful that he at least got it done – (American-Israeli hostage) Alexander released.”
Danny Madmon opined, “I think he is doing very good things for the Middle East. He tried to make peace between the countries, and I hope they succeed.”
