Essential GCC Market Research Trends in 2026

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

It has also released soldiers in southern Syria, occupying an increasing area beyond the demilitarized zone separating the 2 countries. Going forward, Israel will remain cautious of the Sharaa federal government and will likely continue to apply military pressure on Syria, consisting of a broadened profession of southern Syria and periodic air strikes.

Israel's openness to the Trump administration's efforts to broker a nonaggression pact in between Israel and Syria remains an open question. Because the fall of Assad in December 2024, Saudi Arabia has lobbied hard for the United States to raise Syria sanctions, mentioning them as an essential obstacle to the country's reconstruction.

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

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In spite of broadening domestic and worldwide criticism of Israel's method, the prime minister has actually not wavered in his broadening occupation of Gaza in the absence of any U.S. pressure. The prime minister appears to bask in U.S. assistance, without any hint of a shift in policy. Going forward, Netanyahu can be expected to continue along the exact same trajectory in Gaza, particularly given that a significant shift in U.S.

On the contrary, as the global outcry against 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 even more, reinforced by the prospect of ongoing U.S. assistance. The Trump administration announced its choice to reject visas to the Palestinian Authority management ahead of the UN General Assembly, relatively in action to installing calls for declaring a Palestinian state.

Riyadh right away turned down Trump's proposal and restated its refusal to normalize relations with Israel in the absence of significant development towards the production of a Palestinian state. The kingdom has also strongly criticized Israel for the lack of adequate aid streaming into Gaza. Following the August 22 famine statement, Saudi Arabia, while not calling out the United States, faulted the Israeli profession as the cause of the "humanitarian disaster" in Gaza.

ANSR July GCC PRs 50DR+

Its leading function in promoting a two-state solution at the 80th UN General Assembly stands as its most prominent 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 progress towards normalization with Israel in the lack of movement on these problems.

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Its engagement in the Middle East is shaping the contours of the emerging local orderwhether by default or style. Particularly, its decisions on Iran, Syria, and Gaza all discuss core challenges in the area and hold the possible to move each in a favorable instructions. Hazard and deepening dispute stand on the flip side of each chance.

As global trade patterns realign, a new investment corridor 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 in between Mexico and GCC states increased more than 33% between 2021 and 2022, while non-oil trade with the UAE has nearly folded the past decade.

3 Service belief reflects this momentum64% of Latin American executives prepare to expand engagement with the Gulf, especially in agriculture, renewable resource, and digital services. 4 Highlighting this momentum, Saudi Arabia just recently opened its very first Chamber of Commerce office in Miami, further indicating the growing links between Gulf capital and the Americas.