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Middle East At War: How Are Regional Leaders Reacting To Trump's Victory?

Tyler Durden's Photo
by Tyler Durden
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The Middle East remains on edge, and Israel is still at war on multiple fronts - in Gaza, and in Lebanon, and with the Houthis in the Red Sea region and Yemen. Iran is still threatening to retaliate against Israel, and Iraqi paramilitaries supported from Tehran are reportedly readying for battle. Israeli airstrikes on Syria have been ongoing for days. US assets from warships to long-range bombers are also parked in the region, ready for anything.

The region could explode into bigger escalation at any moment, and tit-for-tat big attacks between Hezbollah and Israel's military will likely persist through January, when Trump steps into the oval office. Hezbollah's attacks on northern Israel have not relented, and neither have massive Israeli strikes on Beirut and eastern and southern Lebanon.

In his victory speech, Trump acknowledged the regional hot wars playing out in various parts of the globe, two of which have involved US participation by proxy. "They said ‘He will start a war,’ I’m not going to start a war. I’m going to stop wars," Trump said.

Via Reuters

Below are the reactions of various Middle East leaders to the Trump victory...

Israel

To the surprise of no one, Israel is overjoyed that Donald Trump will be the next president of the United States. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was actually the very first world leader to issue a hearty congratulations to Trump. 

"Congratulations on history’s greatest comeback!" he said in an English-language statement. "Your historic return to the White House offers a new beginning for America and a powerful recommitment to the great alliance between Israel and America. This is a huge victory!" he said.

Netanyahu’s hardline and hawkish National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir simply wrote on social meda "Yesssss".

Turkey

"I congratulate my friend Donald Trump, who won the presidential election in the US after a great struggle and was re-elected as the President," said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan via X.

"In this new period that will begin with the elections of the American people, I hope that Turkiye-US relations will strengthen, that regional and global crises and wars, especially the Palestinian issue and the Russia-Ukraine war, will come to an end; I believe that more efforts will be made for a more just world," Erdogan added. 

He declared his hope that "the elections will be beneficial for our friendly and allied people in the US and for all of humanity."

Iran

Iranian government spokesperson, Fatemeh Mohajerani, said "US elections are not really our business. Our policies are steady and don't change based on individuals. We made the necessary predictions before, and there will not be a change in people's livelihoods," in reference to US sanctions on Iran.

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Deputy Commander in Chief Ali Fadavi on Wednesday repeated that Tehran is ready for a confrontation with Israel.

Hamas

Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri said "We urge Trump to learn from [US President Joe] Biden’s mistakes" and said that the new president will be "tested" on his statements about being able to end the war in Gaza.

He also pointed out past statements of Trump and/or his campaign officials about US support to Israel not being endless. Interestingly Trump had received record Arab-American support in swing states like Michigan, amid anger at the Biden-Harris administration for its blank check support to Israel even as tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians die.

"Our position regarding the new US administration will depend on its stances and practical actions towards our Palestinian people, their legitimate rights, and their just cause," the group, designated by the US as a terror organization, additionally said.

"The elected US President is urged to heed the voices that have risen from within American society itself for more than a year since the Zionist aggression on Gaza, rejecting occupation and genocide, and objecting to support and bias toward [Israel]."

Palestinian Authority

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas congratulated Trump and expressed hope for regional peace and stability based on the future declaration of a Palestinian state and equal right and freedoms.

"We will remain steadfast in our commitment to peace, and we are confident that the United States will support, under your leadership, the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people," Abbas said.

Saudi Arabia

King Salman and MBS sent issued separate formal diplomatic cables congratulating Trump. MbS and Trump have long been close, despite during Trump's first term the Jamal Khashoggi murder creating tensions and some distance between Riyadh and Washington.

King Salman also praised the "historically close [bilateral] relations that everyone seeks to strengthen and develop in all fields."

Iraq

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani formally congratulated Trump. "We affirm Iraq's firm commitment to strengthening bilateral relations with the United States on the basis of mutual respect and common interests," he said.

"We look forward to this new phase being the beginning of deepening cooperation between our two countries in various fields, which will contribute to achieving sustainable development and benefit the two friendly peoples."

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