meed-logo

line1 line2 line3
SIGN IN / REGISTER

Middle East faces a reckoning

19 November 2024

Commentary
Edmund O'Sullivan
Former editor of MEED

For a year, the carnage in Gaza that has spread to the West Bank and Lebanon has been a source of dismay for the Middle East. But its impact has been limited – unless you were a target or know someone who is.

The moment is coming when that will change. Donald Trump’s decisive victory in the US general election has been swiftly followed by the announcement of senior government appointments of people who are both ideological and uncompromising. And they are in a hurry.

Iran is Trump’s top Middle East foe, but that is not new. In his first term, Trump pulled the US out of the nuclear deal with Tehran, ratcheted up economic sanctions and ordered the assassination in Baghdad of Qasem Soleimani, commander of Iran’s Quds Force. 

Iran’s allies in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen will also be hit, but that is something the administration of President Joe Biden also did.

Regional focus

The new administration’s sights are now also set on Gulf Arab states and others in the region that have expressed support for Gaza and the Palestinians without doing much to help. 

There is speculation that Trump is preparing to recognise occupied Palestinian territories as part of Israel. This is a nightmare for Middle East moderates.

The new administration’s sights are now set on Gulf Arab states

On 11 November, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud told a summit of the leaders of Muslim nations in Riyadh that the attack on Gaza was genocide, called for action to create a Palestinian state and demanded an end to Israel’s offensives in Palestine and Lebanon. Countries that are party to the Abraham Accords of 2020 have been more measured in their public statements, but not by much.

And yet, these are the ones that are likely to be under pressure from Washington to recognise Israel, assent to its destruction of hope for the twin-state solution and – going by the calls made by Republican US senator Lindsay Graham in a visit to the region in October – both run Gaza and finance its reconstruction.

This seems completely impossible, but not for those who will dominate US government from 20 January 2025. Whoever will be secretary of state under Trump may have other priorities, including ending the war in Ukraine, but the tone for US policy in the Middle East has been set. Arab states that welcome Trump and want a defence and security relationship with Washington are going to have to balance that with their demand for justice for Palestine. 

These priorities are now irreconcilable. A reckoning for the region is coming.

Connect with Edmund O’Sullivan on X

More from Edmund O’Sullivan:

> Biden leaves a mixed legacy
> Desperate days drag on
> The beginning of the end
> The death of political risk
> Italy at centre of new reduced Europe
> US foreign policy approach remains adrift
> Rainmaking in the world economy
> New shock treatment for Egypt’s economy
> Syria’s long march in from the cold
> Lebanon’s pain captured in a call from Beirut

https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/12928123/main.jpg
Edmund O’Sullivan

Register for MEED's guest program now to access this article.

Click here to register
Exclusive from Meed
Related Articles
  • Qatar seeks to establish new industrial area in Mesaieed

    16 July 2026

    Qatar’s Ministry of Commerce & Industry and state enterprise QatarEnergy have signed an agreement to cooperate on evaluating and allocating hydrocarbon-derived resources to support the establishment of a new medium industries area in Mesaieed Industrial City.

    Under the terms of reference signed between the parties, QatarEnergy will implement a governance mechanism for the allocation of hydrocarbon-derived feedstock to qualifying industrial investment opportunities for the proposed new medium industries area in Mesaieed Industrial City.

    “The agreed terms of reference stipulate the evaluation and allocation of hydrocarbon-derived resources, natural gas, power and related natural resources to downstream derivative industrial investment opportunities,” QatarEnergy said in a statement.

    “It will also ensure the optimal use of national resources and enhance the added value of the industrial sector by establishing a joint governance framework to evaluate and allocate resources required by qualified industrial investment opportunities,” it added.

    QatarEnergy currently operates crude oil refining facilities, including natural gas liquids units, as well as petrochemical production complexes and other units in the hydrocarbon value chain, in Mesaieed Industrial City, situated around 45 kilometres south of Doha.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17688383/main.jpg
    Indrajit Sen
  • Bahri signs deal for two offshore vessels with Dubai shipyard

    16 July 2026

    Bahri Logistics, a division of Saudi Arabia’s national shipping company Bahri, has placed an order for the construction of two advanced offshore support vessels with Dubai-based Grandweld Shipyard.

    Grandweld will custom-build the two vessels to meet Bahri’s operational requirements for offshore activities at Ras Tanura port in Saudi Arabia, one of the world’s busiest oil and gas bunkering and export hubs.

    The vessels will be built at Grandweld’s shipyard in Dubai Maritime City and are expected to be delivered in August, following a 12-month building period.

    The vessels will feature the latest navigation and safety technologies. They are designed to perform multiple offshore support functions, including vessel clearance, crew changes and emergency response, while adhering to international maritime standards.

    The newbuild agreement with Grandweld aligns with Bahri’s broader strategy “to modernise its fleet, enhance technical capabilities, and adopt more energy-efficient and environmentally responsible designs”.

    “Through continued investments in technology, infrastructure and fleet diversification, Bahri Logistics aims to deliver smarter, more sustainable logistics solutions that contribute to the Saudi Green Initiative and the kingdom’s long-term economic diversification goals,” the Saudi Stock Exchange-listed (Tadawul) company said in a statement.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17687877/main.jpg
    Indrajit Sen
  • Egypt intensifies efforts to create petroleum stockpile

    16 July 2026

    Egypt is intensifying its efforts to secure and maintain a sufficient strategic stockpile of petroleum products, according to a statement from the country’s cabinet and its Ministry of Petroleum & Mineral Resources.

    The Egyptian government is closely monitoring regional developments and their potential repercussions on the energy sector, according to the statement.

    Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said that the government is implementing flexible plans and looking at alternative scenarios so that it can respond quickly to emergencies while ensuring the uninterrupted supply of fuel to citizens and key industrial sectors.

    Egypt is intensifying its efforts to build up strategic stockpiles amid heightened uncertainty about future global oil and gas supplies.

    Since the US and Israel attacked Iran on 28 February, there has been significant disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, which is a key transit route for oil and gas exports from the Middle East.

    On top of this, the regional war has involved multiple direct attacks on refineries in the GCC, increasing uncertainty about the future availability of refined products.

    Aside from Motafa Madbouly, the meeting was also attended by Hassan Abdullah, who is governor of the Central Bank, Minister of Finance Ahmed Koguk and Minister of Petroleum and Minerals Karim Badawi.

    During the meeting, Badawi gave a presentation on the available quantities of different petroleum products and explained the details of the procedures currently being implemented to increase the strategic stock of petroleum products.

    A review of the coordination framework and joint work between the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank also took place during the meeting.

    This was in order to ensure the management of financial tools needed to strengthen the country’s strategic inventory, according to the statement.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17685719/main.jpg
    Wil Crisp
  • Tunisia orders $86m of trainsets from Chinese supplier

    16 July 2026

    Tunisian public transport operator Transtu has finalised an $86m agreement with China’s CRRC Nanjing Puzhen.

    CRRC will supply 18 new electric trainsets for the capital’s northern suburban rail network, which links Tunis to La Goulette and La Marsa.

    Each new trainset will be air-conditioned and capable of carrying up to 400 passengers, including 90 seated riders, with a top speed of 100 km/h. Once operational, the trains are expected to run at six-minute intervals during rush hour and every 12 minutes during off-peak hours.

    The deal forms part of a broader fleet renewal effort by Transtu, which has struggled in recent years with operational setbacks that have taken a toll on the quality of public transport across Greater Tunis.

    The acquisition is designed to boost capacity on the heavily used line as ridership continues to grow, while also enhancing safety standards and overall service quality.

    Funding for the project comes jointly from the European Bank for Reconstruction & Development and the European Investment Bank.

    Beyond the trainsets, the contract includes five years of maintenance coverage, a supply of spare parts and maintenance equipment, and an underfloor wheel lathe aimed at improving long-term fleet reliability.

    This latest investment fits into Tunisia’s larger railway modernisation strategy, under which the government plans to invest $12bn by 2040 to expand and upgrade the country’s rail infrastructure.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17683957/main.jpg
    Yasir Iqbal
  • PIF developer tenders 365-metre Mecca residential tower

    16 July 2026

     

    Rua Al-Haram Al-Makki has tendered the main construction package for the Ajyad residential tower, a 365-metre high-rise development in Mecca’s central area, close to the grand mosque.

    The bid submission deadline is 30 September. 

    Rua Al-Haram Al-Makki Company was established in October 2017 and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.

    The project team includes US-based Marriott International as residential operator, Hanmi Global Saudi as project management consultant, Saudi Diyar Consultants as construction supervision consultant, and PLP Architecture as lead design consultant and construction-stage design guardian.

    The tower rises 84 floors with four basement levels. It comprises a total of 212 units, including 82 three-bedroom apartments, 85 four-bedroom units, 29 penthouses and 16 duplex villas.

    The scheme has a gross floor area of 209,231 square metres (sq m) and a built-up area of 242,976 sq m.

    The site is currently being cleared by a demolition contractor, with the existing mat foundation and retaining walls to be handed over to the main contractor, who will build the new superstructure on the retained raft.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17683664/main.jpg
    Yasir Iqbal