RIYADH (Realist English). The massive economic deals being discussed between the United States and Gulf countries — potentially worth up to $3 trillion — should not be seen as political leverage on the Palestinian issue, a columnist for Al Arabiya English argues.
Writing ahead of President Donald Trump’s upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia, the author emphasized that the proposed agreements are centered on civil, military, and investment cooperation — not political concessions. “If a two-state solution could be bought for a trillion dollars, it would’ve happened already. We’ve already paid that price,” the columnist wrote, criticizing what he sees as misguided efforts to politicize economic cooperation.
He pointed out that over recent decades, Gulf nations have already spent astronomical sums on the Palestinian cause — from direct funding of Fatah and Hamas to the broader cost of regional wars and destruction in Lebanon and Syria. “These costs dwarf any amount Trump might gain from his upcoming deals,” the article noted.
The piece insists that Gulf priorities lie elsewhere: in infrastructure, energy, and economic transformation. “This is not aid. This is not a political bargain. The funds will support nuclear energy, LNG, military manufacturing, and investments in the U.S.,” the columnist stated.
Turning to Iran, the author denounced Tehran’s decades-long regional interventions, saying they have yielded no gains for the Palestinian cause. “Forty years of war and proxy networks, and Iran hasn’t freed an inch of Palestine. Everything they built is in ruins. Everything they invested is gone. The cost? Over a trillion — wasted,” he concluded.
The article also argued that Trump’s approach is far from unique: “He’s loud and direct, yes. But this is what all major powers do — China, the EU, Japan. The only difference is style, not substance.”
The commentary underscores a growing divide between symbolic gestures and strategic economic interests in the region. While Palestine remains a core emotional issue, the Gulf’s realpolitik now centers on national development and global partnerships. Washington, for its part, is playing into this shift — not reshaping it.