Azra Hoosen | ah@radioislam.co.za
9 May 2025 | 11:00 CAT
3 min read

In a striking turn of events that could reshape regional dynamics, former US President Donald Trump’s recent moves in the Middle East are sending shockwaves through pro-Israel circles in Washington and officials in Jerusalem. According to Dr James M. Dorsey, award-winning journalist, a series of developments, ranging from secret negotiations with Iran to a ceasefire with Yemen’s Houthis, has left Israel feeling increasingly sidelined.

Dr Dorsey told Radio Islam that the Israelis are very concerned. “This is the latest in a number of incidents in which the Trump administration has taken decisions without informing Israel in advance, let alone consulting with them,’ he said.

At the heart of the tension is a ceasefire agreement brokered between the US and the Yemeni Houthi rebels. “The Houthis will stop attacking shipping in the Red Sea. The Omanis who mediated this agreement put out a statement in which they said there would no longer be attacks on US naval vessels in the region and on international commercial shipping,” explained Dorsey.

But for Israel, the wording is vague and potentially dangerous. “Israeli shipping is included in international commercial shipping, and it could very well be that this is a way of allowing the Houthis to save face by not explicitly stating that. On the other hand, the Houthis have been very clear in their statements that, as far as they are concerned, Israeli-related vessels in the Red Sea are exempted from this ceasefire, as is Israel itself,” he said.

This agreement is just the latest episode in what Dr Dorsey described as a battle within Trump’s administration. “There is a major battle going on within the Trump administration between the ideologues of ‘Make America Great Again’, who do not believe that, by definition, US and Israeli relations are identical or overlap, and the pro-Israel lobby,” he said.

The pro-Israel camp appears to be losing ground. “You have had the firing of Mike Waltz, this National Security Council adviser, in part for coordinating or planning with the Israelis joint US-American strikes on Iran. You have had the firing of pro-Israeli figures by Donald Trump. And, of course, you had the announcement of the ongoing Iran negotiations with Netanyahu standing next to Trump and not knowing anything about this,” he explained.

Adding to the uncertainty, Trump is set to visit the Gulf region next week and is promising a historic announcement. Dr Dorsey believes it could be Middle East-related. “It is either going to be a framework agreement with the Iranians on the nuclear issue, whereby a lot of detail will have yet to be negotiated, or potentially a ceasefire in Gaza. The more likely, in my mind, if it is Middle East related, is an Iranian agreement. We are very far away from a ceasefire yet unless Donald Trump is willing to put his foot down,” he said.

Meanwhile, behind the scenes, there is another diplomatic development unfolding. “The UAE is mediating secret talks between Israel and Syria. Yesterday in Paris, the Syrian president, Ahmed al Sharra, on his first visit to Europe, confirmed that they are having indirect talks with Israel,” revealed Dorsey.

Both nations have something to gain. According to Dr Dorsey, Israel has significantly diminished the weapons arsenal and infrastructure of the Syrian military. “Ahmed al Sharra has a clear interest in finding an understanding with Syria, whereby he convinces the Syrians that his past is his past. His jihadist antecedents are not what guide him today,” he added.

With the UAE—Israel’s closest friend in the Arab world, serving as a broker, the region may be on the verge of unprecedented change. But as Dr Dorsey cautioned, “This is a Pandora’s box that could fuel Middle Eastern fires for years to come.”

LISTEN to the full interview with Ml Sulaimaan Ravat and Dr James M. Dorsey here.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. James M. Dorsey is an award-winning journalist, scholar, and Senior Fellow at the National University of Singapore’s Middle East Institute. He is the author of ‘The Turbulent World of Middle East Soccer’.