Essential Middle East Market Research Insights for 2026

Israel responded with alarm to both the U.S. choice to lift sanctions on Syria and President Trump's conference with Ahmed al-Sharaa. Prime Minister Netanyahu supposedly asked President Trump not to raise Syria sanctions in advance of Trump's trip to the region. Given that the fall of the Assad program in December 2024, Israel has actually been careful of the previous jihadist now in control in Damascus.

It has actually also deployed soldiers in southern Syria, occupying an increasing area beyond the demilitarized zone separating the two nations. Moving forward, Israel will stay wary of the Sharaa government and will likely continue to apply military pressure on Syria, consisting of a broadened occupation of southern Syria and periodic air strikes.

Yet, Israel's openness to the Trump administration's efforts to broker a nonaggression pact in between Israel and Syria stays an open question. Instead, Syria could end up being a locus of local power competitors between Israel and Turkey as both seek to apply their impact over Syria's trajectory. Since the fall of Assad in December 2024, Saudi Arabia has actually lobbied hard for the United States to raise Syria sanctions, mentioning them as a crucial obstacle to the country's restoration.

For MBS, the U.S. decision stood as a crucial triumph emerging from Trump's trip. Going forward, Saudi Arabia will likely encourage the United States to continue along its course towards normalization with Syria.

GCC Economic Outlook and Growth Planning

Despite widening domestic and international criticism of Israel's method, the prime minister has not fluctuated in his expanding occupation of Gaza in the absence of any U.S. pressure. Indeed, the prime minister appears to indulge in U.S. assistance, with no tip of a shift in policy. Moving forward, Netanyahu can be anticipated to continue along the same trajectory in Gaza, specifically given that a remarkable shift in U.S.

On the contrary, as the worldwide outcry versus Israel's actions in Gaza grows and with an increasing number of U.S. allies transferring to state a Palestinian state, Israel is most likely to entrench its position further, bolstered by the prospect of ongoing U.S. assistance. The Trump administration announced its choice to deny visas to the Palestinian Authority leadership ahead of the UN General Assembly, seemingly in response to installing require declaring a Palestinian state.

Trump's proposition and restated its rejection to stabilize relations with Israel in the absence of substantial progress toward the creation of a Palestinian state. The kingdom has likewise highly criticized Israel for the absence of appropriate aid flowing into Gaza.

ANSR July GCC PRs 50DR+

Its leading role in promoting a two-state solution at the 80th UN General Assembly stands as its most popular effort in this regard. The kingdom will likely continue its behind-the-scenes lobbying of the United States to push Israel to relent on these demands, holding out on any development toward normalization with Israel in the absence of movement on these issues.

GCC Business Outlook and Strategic Realities

Its engagement in the Middle East is shaping the shapes of the emerging local orderwhether by default or design. Particularly, its choices on Iran, Syria, and Gaza all discuss core difficulties in the area and hold the prospective to move each in a positive instructions. Peril and deepening conflict stand on the flip side of each chance.

As international trade patterns realign, a brand-new investment passage is taking shape, linking capital from the Gulf to Latin America. Sovereign wealth funds, corporations, and family offices from the Gulf Cooperation Council ("") are investing billions throughout Latin America's energy, agriculture, fintech, and infrastructure sectors. Trade between Mexico and GCC states increased more than 33% between 2021 and 2022, while non-oil trade with the UAE has nearly doubled over the past decade.

3 Company sentiment shows this momentum64% of Latin American executives plan to broaden engagement with the Gulf, specifically in farming, sustainable energy, and digital services. 4 Highlighting this momentum, Saudi Arabia just recently opened its first Chamber of Commerce workplace in Miami, additional signaling the growing links in between Gulf capital and the Americas.