Normalization and Investment:
The Two Pillars of the New US Policy in the Arab East
-Part One-
(Translated)

Al-Rayah Newspaper - Issue 585 - 04/02/2026

By Ustadh Ahmad Al-Qasas*

What we are witnessing today in terms of rapid transformations in the region, in Lebanon, Palestine, Syria and Iraq, where huge events have followed one another at a tremendous speed since the Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, from massacres, destruction, and criminal acts carried out by America through its protégé, the Jewish entity, and from the destruction of the power of the Hizb of Iran in Lebanon, and the elimination of the power of Iran in Syria, and then handing over power in Syria to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham... its subject is almost one, which is that America found that the time had come to implement an old plan, which it had tried to carry out in previous stages, but it had stumbled and failed every time, and now it sees that the opportunity has become available to it.

Since adopting the Jewish entity after its creation by Britain, America's goal has been to establish this entity firmly in the region, transforming it into a natural part of the surrounding region, and to resolve what is called the Middle East issue or the Arab-Jewish conflict, thus achieving full normalization with this entity. However, the complex circumstances in the region and the multitude of actors involved, have hindered the realization of this goal. Moreover, America has been preoccupied with other issues it considers more important, especially during the years of the Arab Spring. Its priority was to thwart these revolutions, particularly in Syria, where it maintained the regime for thirteen years, to prevent the establishment of an independent Islamic state. Consequently, since 2015, it has placed Syria and Lebanon under Iranian custodianship, in addition to the custodianship it already enjoyed over Iraq, and the role it granted Russia in Syria. Furthermore, America places great importance on the Far East region, primarily to counter China and its growing economic power. It perceived the Middle East as having lost its prominence, in favor of focusing on the Far East, containing China, and forging international and regional alliances against it. Therefore, it decided to step back somewhat in the region, delegating roles to other regional powers, most notably Iran and then Turkey, in addition to Russia, while directing events from afar.

It later became clear that the Republican Party was not convinced by the policies adopted by the Democratic Obama administration. Upon entering the White House, Trump withdrew from the nuclear agreement with Iran, began curtailing its influence, and publicly assassinated Qassem Soleimani, the commander of its Al-Quds Force, in an attempt to seize control of the region. However, his plans failed, and he lost the subsequent election. The Democrats then somewhat repaired relations with Iran, slowing the process of regional change. It was noteworthy, however, that after Operation Decisive Storm, the Democratic President Biden decided towards the end of his term to proceed with the plan to end Iran's influence in the region. The bombings that killed thousands of Hezbollah fighters, and the assassination of almost all of its top two-tier leaders, occurred during his presidency, before the election and before Trump's victory was even clear. Then Trump came to power and quickly moved to complete the mission.

What does Trump want? Quite simply, Trump and the rest of the American political establishment in general have come to an agreement over the need to directly control the region. America no longer wants to delegate guardianship over region of ash-Sham to anyone, and wants to bring in rulers who are directly subservient to it, in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria and the rest of the region, and wants to end the conflict in Palestine and the region with the Jewish entity, and to consolidate its superiority in the region.

What has made America take this approach now? It is a change in its view of the region of ash-Sham. It now sees it as an area of ​​investment potential, and its view of it has become similar to its view of the Gulf States decades ago as an investment ground, due to the expected discovery of large quantities of gas, with enormous economic value, with a strategic value that is no less important than the economic value. America wants the gas of ash-Sham and the Qatari gas, that is supposed to be pumped through a pipeline extending from Qatar through Saudi Arabia, ash-Sham, and Turkey to Europe, to be an alternative to the Russian gas that America cut off from the Old Continent by igniting the Russian-Ukrainian war. This is on the one hand, and on the other America wants to sever the economic ties that inevitably reflect on the political relationship between Russia and Europe, and to bring Europe back into the American fold, whilst America will control the supply of Arab gas to Europe.

In addition to the above, this region is also part of America’s confrontation with China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRICS), which stretches from China to Europe. America decided to rival this initiative by establishing a parallel route from India, through the Gulf States, passing through Jordan, and reaching the coast of occupied Palestine. There is a strong suspicion that paving the way for this route is part of the systematic destruction of Gaza, displacing its inhabitants from specific areas and preventing their return, all to secure the area through which this route is supposed to pass. This is not far removed from Trump's talk of building a Riviera-like area in Gaza. We must also remember that a massive reconstruction effort is expected in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria. It is a well-known tactic employed by the criminal, colonialist state of America when its companies and economy in general face financial difficulties: it resorts to destruction in the name of reconstruction!

Let’s recall the Iraq War, when the American army deliberately waged destruction, even after its victory and the fall of the regime. Why? So that Iraq would be in dire need of reconstruction, allowing American companies to come and rebuild, plundering the country’s oil wealth. Massive destruction is a valuable asset for America and most countries seeking to invest. The greater the destruction, the larger the reconstruction efforts. And who will foot the bill now? The Gulf States, as usual. This is a way to extort billions, even trillions, of dollars that flow back into the American economy. Trump’s statements were blatantly clear and brazen when he spoke of a Riviera-style tourist zone in Gaza and a Trump Economic Zone in southern Lebanon, just as the Syrian president, al-Jolani, spoke shortly after Bashar al-Assad’s fall about building a Trump Tower in Damascus!

These American investment plans require stability in the region, as investment is impossible without it. Hence the importance of Trump’s haste in ending the conflict in the region, and moving quickly forward with the normalization process, and the recognition of the occupying Jewish entity by the regimes.

(...to be continued)

* Member of the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir