In a wary Middle East, gloom is the only certainty after the US election

As Israel-Gaza war drags on and US-Iran relations hit new lows, weary residents hold little hope for peaceful future no matter who the next president is

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As daunting issues hang over US policy in the Middle East, residents of the region see little hope for meaningful progress in peace and security. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 3:01pm, 6 Nov 2024Updated: 3:06pm, 6 Nov 2024

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In the Middle East, scepticism continued to hang over the US presidential election amid doubt that the results could significantly impact the region, especially the war-torn Levant, a reflection of long-standing disappointment in Washington’s foreign and domestic policies.

A series of daunting issues, including Israel-Palestine and Israel-Lebanon relations, as well as Iran’s policy on Israel and its Arab neighbours, hung in the balance as Washington braced for the result of a contest between Democratic Vice-President Kamala Harris and Republican former president Donald Trump.

During their respective campaigns, and based on their own records, neither candidate has provided a promising plan that could inspire hope for meaningful change in Middle Eastern relations.

US President Joe Biden’s peace plan for the Israel-Gaza war has shown no significant result; moreover, the country’s continued military support for Israel has angered Arab and Persian people inside and outside America. The Democrat’s harsh stance towards Gulf countries over poor humanitarian records has cast a long shadow on their alliances. It is widely believed that Harris would follow Biden’s policy in the region.

Trump, on the other hand, withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal and deployed “maximum pressure” sanctions on Tehran, dragging US-Iran relations into deeper uncertainty. His decision to move the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv also cast a long shadow over Israel-Palestine relations and disappointed millions of Arab people.