As always, the U.S. presidential election has been a highly anticipated and widely debated event, given its most important strategic and political consequences. This time is no exception, as the outcome, once again holds significant ramifications for the international political arena. Trump’s return to the Oval Office is not so much a political return as a seismic shift in global politics. A comeback that will determine the fate of several alliances, along with the making and breaking of the alliances. From trade wars to territorial disputes his re-election as a global king will shuffle power dynamics in the region that could either ignite global rivalries or forge unexpected and strategic alliances.
The most important conflict in world politics is the ongoing conflict of Israel-Palestine which has driven the attention of the world’s social scientists. The crisis in the Middle East must be dealt with humanely, and immediately. The president-elect Donald Trump aimed to bring peace in the Middle East but his return to the Oval Office is set to bring Gaza only more deaths and destruction. His staff, filled with a pro-Israeli approach, undoubtedly, will stick to the script given by Trump. Trump has wasted no time in appointing a cadre of Pro-Israeli hardliners that might hinder the peace process in the region.
The staff, including Mike Huckabee (expected to serve as the U.S ambassador to Israel), Mike Waltz (National Security Advisor), and Macro Rubio (Secretary of State), have issued several statements that unambiguously reflect the overarching mindset of the President-elect’s team and its potential policy for the region of the Middle East. These reflections on Trump’s foreign policy remark a historic alignment with Trump’s historic approach to the region, characterized by a focus on transactional relationships and a potential pivotal in foreign relations.
Huckabee had said that there is really no such thing as a Palestinian. Whereas National Security Advisor Mike Waltz in an interview had said to let Israel finish the job. These statements carry significant weight in the realm of international politics and reflect one’s intention, especially for the country which dominates the global politics. The ramifications of these statements are profound because they can shift the diplomatic ties and shape perceptions on a global scale. Trump and his pro-Israel hardliner administration is expected to implement a foreign policy that will ultimately benefit the interests of both the USA and Israel. This approach, however, seems to disregard humanitarian treatment, raising serious concerns for regional stability.
Throughout his presidency, Trump had consistently provided unwavering support for Israel, exemplified by an initiative such as the Trump Peace Plan of 2020 that legitimized Israeli occupation of the West Bank and the remaining territories of Palestine. Any new developments between Israel and Palestine during Trump’s second term are likely to be influenced by the framework that prioritized the interests of Israel and the USA itself, along with the power politics in the region. Prior to this, the Biden Administration upheld the administrative legacy associated with the office of the American presidency, suggesting that no shift in policy for Palestine is anticipated.
Trump’s new tenure will reinforce the policies championed by his anti-Palestinian staff, whose pro-Israel hardliner views will shape the potential US policies for the Israel-Palestine conflict. The legacy of unwavering support for Israel’s genocidal activities that Trump has consistently advocated for, will persist, prioritizing the eco-strategic policy of the USA. The continuation of the policies will likely deepen the divides in the region, where US influence, maintained through military occupation, undermines any horizon for a just resolution.
Historically, the US Administration has supported the Jewish stance, explicitly rejecting Palestinian cause, and this approach has supported an objective of the USA that aligns with the historic US pro-Israeli foreign policy. Given this context, it is unlikely that any positive changes will occur in the Administration’s stance regarding Middle East affairs.
Donald Trump has consistently expressed support for Israel in his various public statements and media talks. Following the Hamas attacks on 7 October 2023, he described the event as “one of the darkest hours in human history”, along with criticism of the US administration’s response. Trump has strongly endorsed Israel’s right to self-defence as well, stating that “Do what you have to do in order to protect your country, we will support Israel to win its war on terror”.
Additionally, Trump has openly supported the Israeli military’s action against Hamas, including elimination of Yahya Sinwar (the Hamas leader). In an interview Trump commented, “I don’t think he was a good guy, and Netanyahu is doing a great job.”
Trump’s one-sided and biased rhetoric has unequivocally expressed his intentions regarding the Israel-Palestine conflict, favoring the interests of both the USA and Israel while completely disregarding humane treatment of Palestinians.
Trump will maintain the legacy that the White House has been known for, and his second tenure promises the continuation of the policies, always, adopted by US presidents. The policies adopted by US presidents have mainly centered on the suppression of Palestinians through territorial gains and genocidal actions to maintain regional influence. His second tenure would be closer to the imposition of ‘Greater Israel’ on the region.
Trump’s new tenure will reinforce the policies championed by his anti-Palestinian staff, whose pro-Israel hardliner views will shape the potential US policies for the Israel-Palestine conflict. The legacy of unwavering support for Israel’s genocidal activities that Trump has consistently advocated for, will persist, prioritizing the eco-strategic policy of the USA. The continuation of the policies will likely deepen the divides in the region, where US influence, maintained through military occupation, undermines any horizon for a just resolution.
Thus, it’s not wrong to say that Trump’s return to the Oval Office is poised to bring even more deaths and destruction to Gaza, a region already ravaged for decades.
