Trump regional strategy 'made over Netanyahu’s head': NYT

(In the lead-up to this 3-state trip, Trump made concessions with China's Xi Jingping and let it be leaked they had every intention to recognize Palestine as a state. They let Israel out of the loop on several fronts and even backed off Yemen as they continue to torment Israel for their illegal occupation and ethnic cleansing of Gaza. However, TrumpyBear once again, lived up to his reputation as someone who never lives up to his promises. Hamas has discovered that after releasing the US/Israeli soldier POW they had been holding. While Trump and his family play golf and go over all the shekels they made from the trip... Israel is ramping up the ethnic cleansing of North Gaza while still using starvation as a weapon of war against the civilian population of Palestine. Trump once again turned out to be a morally bankrupt liar whose only perceivable creed is greed.)

from al Mayadeen English

US President Donald Trump’s recent Gulf tour marked a notable shift in US foreign policy in the region, emphasizing new alliances and strategies that largely left "Israel" on the sidelines, The New York Times reported.

At the Saudi royal palace, Trump met with Syria’s new leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa, and announced the lifting of longstanding US sanctions on Damascus.

“Tough guy, very strong past,” Trump said of al-Sharaa, who has a history of ties with Al Qaeda. The US president justified the move by stating he wanted "to give them a chance at greatness."

But "Israel’s" leadership has strongly opposed any recognition of the new Syrian administration. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government has labeled al-Sharaa a “jihadist” and has warned against US normalization with Damascus...

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Deep Waters: MAGA Turns on Trump as He Appears to Promote the Multipolar World Order

Don't get it twisted. MAGA folks and Trump backers aren't all of a sudden concerned about Trump's grifting. The stupid plane. They are turning on him because he is turning on Netanyahu and the neocon unipolar world order. 

In a normalization agreement with Israel, Saudi Arabia should settle for nothing less than Palestinian statehood

from The Atlantic April 26 2025

Since the second Trump administration took office, Middle East policy experts and commentators have renewed discussion of a potential US-brokered Saudi Arabia-Israel normalization deal. The broad parameters of such a deal, which had been under discussion during US President Donald Trump’s first term and during the Biden administration, are generally known. Riyadh would agree to normalize relations with Israel in exchange for US security guarantees, preferably in the form of a treaty; US assistance with the kingdom’s nuclear program; cooperation on technology, including artificial intelligence; and progress on Palestinian statehood—although precisely how much progress would be required remained unclear. The term “pathway” to a Palestinian state—sometimes qualified as “credible” or “irreversible”—was the most consistently used formulation.

With Trump now scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia next month, the issue of normalization is certain to be on the agenda. There are three reasons why Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s principal decisionmaker, should make full Palestinian statehood part of the asking price for normalizing relations with Israel. First, many Saudis and other Arabs throughout the region may look askance at bin Salman if he were to be seen as ignoring the Palestinians’ plight. Second, if he pulls it off, he will have succeeded where other, more celebrated Arab leaders failed. And finally, the longer the issue remains unresolved, the more it will continue to impede progress on Saudi and regional priorities...

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Qatar calls reports of pending jet gift to Trump ‘inaccurate’

from Politico

Qatar on Sunday denied reports that the Trump administration is preparing to accept a luxury jet from the country’s royal family in the coming days.

ABC News reported earlier Sunday that a super luxury Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet would become available for President Donald Trump as Air Force One and then donated to his presidential library foundation so he could use it after leaving office.

But Ali Al-Ansari, Qatar’s Media Attaché to the U.S., told POLITICO the reports are “inaccurate,” suggesting the donation, at the very least, had yet to be finalized.

“The possible transfer of an aircraft for temporary use as Air Force One is currently under consideration between Qatar’s Ministry of Defense and the U.S. Department of Defense, but the matter remains under review by the respective legal departments, and no decision has been made,” he said.

The aircraft in question is worth $400 million, ABC reported, and was set to be announced during Trump’s upcoming visit to the Middle East. A person familiar with the situation said no announcement is planned for Trump’s visit.

Trump will soon depart for a four-day trip to the Middle East, with stops in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates...

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Qatar criticises Israel’s Netanyahu over Hamas comments

from al Jazeera

Qatar has criticised comments from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in which he said the Gulf state should do more to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza and claimed that the Palestinian group is financially dependent on Doha.

In a speech before American Jewish leaders on Sunday, Netanyahu said pressure should be applied on Qatar, which played a key role in mediating November’s truce and hostage-prisoner exchange between Israel and Hamas.

“Qatar can press Hamas as no one else can. They host Hamas leaders. Hamas is dependent on them financially,” Netanyahu said. “I urge you to press Qatar to press Hamas because we want our hostages released.”

Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Majed Al-Ansari said Doha “categorically rejects the empty accusations”.

“The Israeli Prime Minister’s recent statements in which he calls on Qatar to pressure Hamas into releasing the [Israeli] hostages are nothing but a new attempt by him to delay and prolong the war for reasons that have become clear to everyone,” he wrote on X on Monday...

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FIFA President's Insulting Rant Defending Qatar's Use of Migrant Slaves

“Today I feel Qatari. Today I feel Arab. Today I feel African. Today I feel gay. Today I feel disabled. Today I feel a migrant worker,” he said, in front of a stunned audience. FIFA's president makes over $5 million a year plus all those beautiful bonuses. He should be fired.