Mohammed bin Salman, Jordan left exposed by US decision

What to make of the remarks by US Permanent Representative to the United Nations Nikki Haley at a special session of the UN Security Council, where 14 council members criticized the US decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, that she could assure her “Palestinian brothers and sisters … with complete confidence that the United States is deeply committed to achieving a peace agreement between the Israelis and the Palestinians,” because, she said, “the United States has credibility with both sides.”

The mismatch of words and deeds is beyond puzzling, unless a deal is in the works that is until now unknown to world and regional leaders, reporters and analysts. The Palestinian permanent representative to the UN responded to Haley that “the US decision disqualifies its leadership role to seek peace in the region.” Thomas Friedman described the US decision on Jerusalem as the "art of the giveaway."

The Trump administration may have, inadvertently, sparked the catalyst for a long-lost Arab unity on Palestinian issues, placing them back on the front burner of the Arab League. Hard-liners across the region have a tail wind. Iran’s “resistance” tack may make sense to the Arab and Islamic “street”; the Saudi and United Arab Emirates love-in with the Trump administration, in contrast, will face tough scrutiny and questions in cabs and coffee houses across the Muslim world. The White House did its friends no favors on this one. Jordan, in particular, is on the front lines of the fallout, which will build over coming months.