Lightning war in Iran reveals 'Trump doctrine'
Ever since his first term, Trump has consistently maintained a sincere yet self-interested commitment to a reconfigured Middle East. His vision turns its back on religious and political quarrels and on endless wars, instead flourishing through trade, energy exploitation and real estate projects. This approach requires closing the bloodstained chapter of the cycles of violence following October 7 in the region, starting with Gaza. And while this approach pays little heed to history or the suffering of peoples, it at least demands a minimal consideration of the Palestinian question. It then requires a normalization agreement between Saudi Arabia and Israel. This is the keystone of everything, according to the US president, and in particular of his much-desired Nobel Peace Prize.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
LeMonde
an hour ago
- LeMonde
Ukraine seeks answers after US announces halt to key arms shipments
Ukraine appealed to the United States for clarity on Wednesday, July 2, after it was caught off guard by a White House announcement that Washington was halting some arms shipments to the war-battered country. The White House had said that it was halting some key weapons shipments promised by the previous US administration, without elaborating. The Ukrainian defence ministry, which is deeply dependent on US arms, said it had "not received any official notifications" about the reduction in aid announced one day earlier. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an evening address that Kyiv and Washington were clarifying details on supplies. "Continued American support for Ukraine, for our defence, for our people is in our common interest," he said. "Now is not the time for weak decisions," Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga wrote on X. "We need more interceptors and systems. We are also ready to purchase or rent them," he added. John Ginkel, the deputy chief of mission at the US embassy in Kyiv, was summoned by the foreign ministry – a rare diplomatic move usually reserved for foes and rivals, not vital allies – given uncertainty about what the cuts would mean for Kyiv. Moscow sees the end of the war approach Moscow, meanwhile, revelled in the decision, saying it could bring the end of the war closer. "The fewer the number of weapons that are delivered to Ukraine, the closer the end of the special military operation," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in response to a question by Agence France-Presse (AFP), using Russia's term for its more than three-year-long offensive. Any slowdown in US support could harm Kyiv's ability to fend off escalating Russian aerial bombardments or frontline gains. Escalating drone attacks Politico and other US media reported that missiles for Patriot air defence systems, precision artillery and Hellfire missiles are among the items being held back. Russia ramped up attacks on Ukraine in June, launching nearly twice as many missiles and over 30% more drones than in May, according to an AFP analysis of Ukrainian air force data. In June, Kyiv was subjected to at least four fatal attacks that left more than 40 people dead. Its residents are worried that a cessation of US aid would leave the capital even more vulnerable. Changing US policy Kyiv has long feared halts to US aid after Donald Trump returned to the White House in January, having criticised the tens of billions of dollars in support and weapons sent by his predecessor, Joe Biden. Under Biden, Washington spearheaded Western support for Ukraine, with Congress having approved more than $100 billion in aid, including $43 billion in weaponry. Trump has, instead, pushed the two sides into peace talks, including in phone calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin – who rejected pleas for a ceasefire and demanded that Ukraine cede more territory if it wants Moscow to halt its invasion, which was launched in 2022. Moreover, the US president has refused to announce new aid packages and Kyiv has been corralling Washington's European allies to step up their support. Yet a May report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said that Europe "had only made limited progress" in strengthening its defence industries.
LeMonde
an hour ago
- LeMonde
French foreign minister on Iran's nuclear program: 'It is essential that our security interests be taken into account'
Jean-Noël Barrot, who has served as France's foreign minister since September 2024, discusses the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine and the situation in Iran in an interview with Le Monde. With Donald Trump, Europe finds itself a spectator to American military power. Should Europeans resign themselves to fading into the background? Let's stop beating ourselves up! To resolve the Iranian crisis, France and its German and British partners have a very powerful lever. With a simple letter in the mail, we can reimpose on Iran a global embargo on weapons, nuclear equipment, banks and insurance, which was lifted 10 years ago. If Tehran refuses to negotiate a strict and lasting framework for its nuclear activities that guarantees our security interests, we will be able to activate this mechanism over the summer.
France 24
an hour ago
- France 24
Israel far right issues rare rebuke of settler attack on army
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, considered the two most hardline members of the ruling coalition, called for the perpetrators to be held accountable. The army said dozens of "civilians" attacked its forces on Sunday night at a military base in the central West Bank, vandalising army vehicles and a security installation. According to Israeli media, the attackers were settlers who targeted the commander of the military's Binyamin Regional Brigade, calling him a "traitor". The attack was widely seen as a reprisal for the arrest of six settlers two days earlier. In that incident, the commander and troops were attacked as they tried to stop settlers entering a closed military zone near the Palestinian village of Kafr Malik. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned both attacks, saying "no law-abiding country can tolerate acts of violence and anarchy". Ben Gvir was among the last senior figures to react. "Harming our security forces, security installations and the soldiers who are our children, brothers and defenders, crosses a red line, and must be treated with the utmost severity," he wrote on X. A lawyer, Ben Gvir gained a name for himself before entering politics by defending in court several settlers accused of attacking Palestinians in the West Bank. Smotrich wrote on X: "Violence against (Israeli) soldiers and our beloved police forces and the destruction of property are unacceptable." West Bank violence Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967 and violence has surged there since Israel launched its offensive in Gaza following Hamas's October 2023 attack. Since then, Israeli troops or settlers in the West Bank have killed at least 947 Palestinians -- many of them militants, but also scores of civilians -- according to Palestinian health ministry figures. At least 35 Israelis, including both civilians and security forces, have been killed in Palestinian attacks or Israeli military operations, according to Israeli official figures. But settler attacks on army positions are rare. "It was too much, even for the far-right," said Simon Perry, a security expert and associate professor in the criminology department at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. "The rioters went overboard," he told AFP. Nimrod Goren, an expert on foreign relations and a veteran commentator on Israeli politics, said the far-right's outrage at the assault was merely "lip service", however. Violent assaults by Israeli settlers against Palestinians have become common since 2023, without drawing any criticism from the political class, he noted. "But when soldiers are affected, all of a sudden people are alerted," said Goren, who is chairman of the Israeli foreign policy think tank Mitvim. Settlers' eviction drive According to the two Israeli experts, the rioters were part of an informal movement known as the hilltop youth, whose goal is to evict Palestinian residents and establish settlements in the West Bank without government approval. The movement constitutes a fringe, even among the Religious Zionist movement, the ideological backbone of the settlement enterprise. Several human rights NGOs have denounced the rise in violence committed by the settlers, and their perceived impunity. Shortly after his appointment in November 2024, Defence Minister Israel Katz announced an end to administrative detention for West Bank settlers, a practice that allows security forces to detain suspects without charge. Israeli media say the move embolded extremist settlers and led to a wave of attacks in the Palestinian territory. On Tuesday, the Israeli press reported that Katz would not bring it back, contrary to the opinion of Israel's Shin Bet security service. The measure is still in place for Palestinians. The recent settler violence against army positions in the West Bank even prompted condemnation from leaders within the movement. "Those who wish to protest must act according to the law and not confront the army," Oded Revivi, a former mayor of the Efrat settlement, and a prominent settler figure, told AFP. There are around 160 Israeli settlements scattered throughout the West Bank, which the UN considers illegal. Their residents number about 500,000, living among a population of three million Palestinians.
