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The U.S. Is Back

(Israel Hayom) Eyal Zisser - The Middle East is already feeling the change. The U.S. is once again taking an active role in the region and, more importantly, Washington is once again standing by the allies and friends it had abandoned. Despite being portrayed as an enemy of Islam, the election of President Donald Trump was greeted with a sigh of relief in the region. America's allies were fed up with former President Barack Obama's administration, which turned its back on them during tough times and did not hesitate to criticize them and even question their legitimacy. The Obama administration was obviously biased in favor of pro-Islamic elements in the region, such as the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt. It also courted Iran and tried to appease it. This all created an unbridgeable gulf between Washington and its old friends. Last week, Trump hosted Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, Saudi Arabia's interior minister, whose associates declared it a historic turning point in the countries' bilateral relations. Similar voices have been heard in Cairo and in Ankara. Trump is also sending additional forces to Syria to strengthen the American hold on its eastern part. This is designed to help deal a crushing blow to Islamic State and provide a counterweight to the Russian presence, and even more importantly, to the Iranian presence there. Trump has also tried to have the Israelis and the Palestinians resume direct talks without accepting the prerequisites set by PA President Mahmoud Abbas. The writer, vice rector at Tel Aviv University, is former director of its Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies.
2017-03-20 00:00:00
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