How Arabs See Trump's 'Separate Peace' and Deals With Islamists - by Khaled Abu Toameh for the Gatestone Institute - 19.05.25
Michael Julien- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
In the eyes of Iran and the Houthis, Trump's separate peace deal that excluded Israel is a captivating green light to continue their attacks on "The Little Satan", while obligingly halting their assaults on vessels in the Red Sea.
Trump's deal with the Houthis sent everyone in the Middle East the message that the Trump administration has finally thrown Israel under the bus.
Worse, Trump's agreement does not require the Houthis to abandon their jihad (holy war) against either the US or Israel.
"The Palestinians are ecstatic that their employer, Qatar, just "purchased" the US presidency with a $400 million 747 jet and a Golf Course...." — Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, Palestinian political analyst, X, May 11, 2025.
Qatar wanted the American-Israeli hostage released as a gesture to Trump on the eve of his visit to the Gulf state. Hamas leaders were not able to say no to Qatar, and immediately complied.
This event shows that Qatar has enough influence over Hamas to instruct it to release all the hostages. Qatar could have used its influence from the beginning to force Hamas to release all of them; but it did not.
Qatar wants to make sure that its long-standing allies, Iran and Hamas, remain strong and in power after the current war.
Trump and his Special Envoy Steve Witkoff are being played and appear not even to know it. If they do know it, personal friendships and financial rescues have apparently taken priority over hard-nosed negotiating. Their only priority seems to have been raking in trillions of dollars from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states, a Trump golf resort in Saudi Arabia, a $400 million "flying palace" from Qatar, a Trump hotel in Dubai and the promise of a Trump Tower in Damascus.
"Donald Trump may go down in history as the American President who empowered Islamism around the globe [by funding Syria's al-Sharaa], more than any other president in the history of the USA." — Nervana Mahmoud, Egyptian political analyst, X, May 13, 2025.
Trump and his advisors undoubtedly have good intentions, but... trying to strike deals with Iran and its Hamas and Houthi terror proxies, instead emboldens these terrorists and enemies of the US.
After Trump returns to Washington, he will quickly discover that the Islamists and their sponsors in the Middle East have not changed. Iran, Hamas and the Houthis will continue to call for death to Israel and America. Qatar will continue to provide political and financial support to anti-American Islamists and other Jihadis. As for Syria's jihadist president, the belief that he will transform himself into a moderate pro-Western Arab leader and a democrat is, unfortunately, nothing but a joke.
Saudi Arabia, under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, also appears to be moving in that direction, though at a much slower pace. MBS will not join the Abraham Accords. Trump's wish that he would sign onto them "in your own time" is a sweet, naïve dream.
If Trump were to use military force against Iran's nuclear weapons program, it would not only be a blow to Tehran and its terror proxies, it would enormously empower the moderate Arabs and Muslims who correctly view the mullahs as a threat to their national security and stability.
If Trump wants real peace and prosperity, he must, unfortunately, act against Iran and its terror proxies, and distance himself from jihadists and their sponsors, especially Qatar. Such a move would be the best way to expand the Abraham Accords and encourage other Arabs to seize hold of Trump's great promise.
President Donald Trump's visit to Qatar -- Hamas's major sponsor and funder -- is seen by many Palestinians and Arabs as a victory for the Palestinian terror group. If Trump wants real peace and prosperity, he must, unfortunately, act against Iran and its terror proxies, and distance himself from jihadists and their sponsors, especially Qatar.
As US President Donald J. Trump was being hosted in Saudi Arabia by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto ruler of the kingdom, the Iran-backed Houthi militia in Yemen fired another ballistic missile at Israel.
The missile, which flew over Saudi Arabia on its way to Israel, was fortunately intercepted by the Israel Defense Forces before reaching its intended target.
The Houthis, in fact, fired three ballistic missiles at Israel, right over the Crown Prince's head.
The missile attacks came less than a week after Trump announced that he had reached a separate ceasefire deal with the Houthis to end their attacks on American-flagged vessels in the Red Sea. "They just don't want to fight, and we will honor that," Trump said.
"We will stop the bombings, and they have capitulated. But more importantly, we will take their word. They said they will not be blowing up any ships anymore."
Sadly, anyone who takes the word of a terrorist group is living in a dream world. Just look at Afghanistan. The Taliban could not wait to break their vow to make sure that women's rights would be protected. Women have been erased. They can no longer "work, sing travel, study" or even appear near a window.
Israel took the word of Hamas when the terror group repeatedly indicated its desire to maintain a truce. In the end, however, on October 7, 2023, Israel paid a heavy price for its gullibility.
Thousands of Hamas terrorists invaded Israel, murdered 1,200 people, many of whom were attending a music festival, wounded thousands, and kidnapped 251 others, dragging them into the Gaza Strip. Of those, 58 are still being held by Hamas. Only 23 are believed to still be alive.
The Trump-Houthi agreement, notably, did not require the Iranian proxy militia to stop its missile attacks on Israel. The Yemeni group therefore did not hesitate to launch a ballistic missile at Israel during Trump's visit to Saudi Arabia. By using the Houthis to attack Israel, Iran -- hiding behind the skirts of the Houthis rather than attacking Israel itself – could congratulate itself on staying safe from potential retaliation.
The missile attack from Yemen seemed a clear message to the US president that the Houthis, as well as Iran's mullahs, are happy to continue their assaults on Israel.
In the eyes of Iran and the Houthis, Trump's separate peace deal that excluded Israel is a captivating green light to continue their attacks on "The Little Satan", while obligingly halting their assaults on vessels in the Red Sea.
For the full seven page article please click here or click on the link below for the article in pdf:
Pictured: Trump speaks with Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad al Thani as he departs the Al Udeid Air Base on May 15, 2025, in Doha, Qatar. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
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