You better start getting used to Trump dominating the news cycle once again, with the nation’s hosts warming up for another unpredictable four years. With the newly inaugurated president’s comments that he wants to be “peacemaker” and stop wars, coming into sharp contrast with his statements in support of Israel’s brutal war on Gaza, pundits and hosts alike are trying to figure out what his presidency will mean for the region.

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There were calls on the airwaves for the country to actively cooperate with the incoming US administration, with political thinker Mostafa El Feki telling Yahduth Fi Misr’s Sherif Amer that “Egypt should engage with Trump by highlighting issues that capture his interest in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East,” (watch, runtime; 22:15).

“We have a historic opportunity to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with a strong president (in the White House) capable of influencing the region,” El-Feki added. However, while the “ceasefire agreement appears to be a pragmatic step aimed at halting military operations and securing the release of as many detainees as possible,” it is not a part of a wider “comprehensive plan to resolve the Palestinian issue,” El Feki said.

But some, including security commentator Samir Farag, raised concern about what a Trump presidency will mean for the region, telling Ahmed Moussa on Ala Mas’ouleety that “Trump does not believe in the two-state solution, he exclusively supports a one-state solution” — that of Israel (watch, runtime; 2:45). Farag also pointed to the fact that Trump is “the US president who ordered the relocation of the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and recognizing Israel’s annexation of the occupied Golan Heights”

There was also worry that the ceasefire may not hold, with Palestinian presidential advisor Mahmoud Al Habbash telling Sherif Amer that “Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right coalition partners are still seeking an opportunity to resume the war” (watch, runtime; 3:40). Al Habbash explained that “Netanyahu understands that the longer the calm persists, the more likely he is to lose his position and witness changes in Israel’s political and governmental landscape,” pointing to the ordering of the ongoing military operation in the West Bank’s Jenin shortly following the ceasefire as evidence of his intent.

Attention also turned to opening of the Palestinian side of the Rafah border, which is expected to reopen “within a few days,” Moussa said (watch, runtime; 3:27). He added, “Israeli forces will not be present at the crossing, and a European Union delegation along with the Palestinian Authority are set to visit the site in preparation for its reopening.” Moussa noted that the Palestinian Authority will oversee operations on their side of the crossing. Mohamed Sherdy over on Al Hayah Al Youm also had the story (watch, runtime; 23:58).

ALSO ON THE AIRWAVES- President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin discussed Gaza and other regional developments during a phone call yesterday, according to a statement from the Egyptian presidency that piqued the interest of many of the nation’s hosts. El Sisi emphasized the need for international efforts to enforce the Gaza ceasefire agreement, highlighting that it should “lead to the launch of a political process based on the two-state solution in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions as the only path to achieving sustainable security and stability in the region.” Putin commended Egypt’s pivotal role in brokering the agreement. The two presidents also addressed developments in Syria, Sudan, Libya, and the ongoing war in Ukraine. Moussa covered the discussions on his show (watch, runtime 10:19).

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