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US Backing for Al-Zaidi Rattles Baghdad's Calculations

Iraq’s prime minister-designate Ali Al-Zaidi attends a Coordination Framework meeting in Baghdad on April 27 (AP)
Iraq’s prime minister-designate Ali Al-Zaidi attends a Coordination Framework meeting in Baghdad on April 27 (AP)
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US Backing for Al-Zaidi Rattles Baghdad's Calculations

Iraq’s prime minister-designate Ali Al-Zaidi attends a Coordination Framework meeting in Baghdad on April 27 (AP)
Iraq’s prime minister-designate Ali Al-Zaidi attends a Coordination Framework meeting in Baghdad on April 27 (AP)

The US administration went beyond its embassy’s congratulatory post in Baghdad for Iraq’s prime minister-designate, Ali Al-Zaidi, and a phone call by its envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack. It stepped up its engagement with a call from US President Donald Trump to Al-Zaidi.

 

Trump did not stop at the call, he then posted on his social media platform, Truth Social, congratulating Ali al-Zaidi and wishing him “success as he works to form a new Government free from terrorism that could deliver a brighter future for Iraq.”

 

The US president expanded on that vision, saying, “We look forward to a strong, vibrant, and highly productive new relationship between Iraq and the United States,” and calling it “the beginning of a tremendous new chapter between our Nations — Prosperity, Stability, and Success like never seen before.”

 

He also invited Al-Zaidi to visit Washington after his government wins a confidence vote.

 

The US stance appeared decisive and influential across several political forces, particularly within the Shi’ite camp.

 

Some leaders had been waiting for a signal from Trump rejecting Al-Zaidi’s nomination, which would have returned the process to the Coordination Framework, after it seemed to have temporarily slipped from its grasp with the nomination of an economic figure facing questions tied to previous US restrictions on his bank’s dollar transactions.

 

The US move unsettled armed factions, especially after three of their leaders were designated on terrorism lists, with financial rewards offered for information about them. Among those was a senior figure in the Coordination Framework who disappeared from view during recent meetings, along with leaders of other factions.

 

At the same time, additional complications emerged over the positions of political forces and figures previously considered for the premiership, amid talk of an undeclared US veto on some names, alongside clear support for Al-Zaidi.

 

This reshuffled dynamics within the Shi’ite political landscape.

 

'The last supper'

 

Alongside what appeared to be strong US backing, albeit conditional on forming a government “free of terrorism,” Al-Zaidi secured broad regional and international support, placing Iraqi political forces before a new equation.

 

Within the Shi’ite camp, this backing removed any suggestion that Al-Zaidi’s nomination was merely a political maneuver and weakened the chances of returning to the Coordination Framework's alternative names.

 

Some factions, despite recognizing his experience in economic files, had hoped to politically contain him, a prospect that has become more complicated under international backing.

 

Kurdish and Sunni forces had been counting on imposing their terms in forming the government, particularly regarding cabinet portfolios. However, US support for Al-Zaidi reshaped the negotiating balance and weakened his rivals’ ability to deal with him under traditional rules of engagement.

 

Concerns also surfaced within some political circles that Al-Zaidi could emerge as a strong, internationally backed prime minister, potentially reshaping internal balances and reducing the influence of regional actors, foremost among them Iran, which has yet to announce a clear position on his nomination. This silence has raised questions within Shi’ite circles about its implications.

 

Domestic moves

 

In a related development, Al-Zaidi received a phone call from Asif Ali Zardari, who congratulated him on being tasked with forming a government.

 

During the call on Friday, Al-Zaidi extended a formal invitation to Zardari to visit Iraq. The two sides discussed bilateral relations and ways to strengthen them in both countries’ interests. Al-Zaidi praised Pakistan’s role in easing regional tensions, while the Pakistani president expressed readiness to accept the invitation after the government is formed.

 

The Coordination Framework nominated Al-Zaidi on April 26 to form the new government, and he is preparing to present his cabinet to parliament within the constitutional deadline.

 

In parallel, the Coordination Framework plans to establish specialized advisory bodies to support the incoming government.

 

Aqil al-Rudaini, spokesman for the Victory Alliance, said these bodies would cover vital sectors such as energy, investment and anti-corruption, and aim to provide advice to the prime minister.

 

Al-Rudaini said the success or failure of the prime minister would be the responsibility of the alliance.

 

He added that the number of these bodies has yet to be finalized and will be determined after the government is formed, and that they will include experts and advisers across various fields to support government performance.

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Arab World

Gazans Turn to Clay, Rubble to Build New Homes

A Palestinian boy makes his way across rubble near a displacement camp in Nuseirat, in the central Gaza Strip, on Sunday. Credit: AFP/EYAD BABA
A Palestinian boy makes his way across rubble near a displacement camp in Nuseirat, in the central Gaza Strip, on Sunday. Credit: AFP/EYAD BABA
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Gazans Turn to Clay, Rubble to Build New Homes

A Palestinian boy makes his way across rubble near a displacement camp in Nuseirat, in the central Gaza Strip, on Sunday. Credit: AFP/EYAD BABA
A Palestinian boy makes his way across rubble near a displacement camp in Nuseirat, in the central Gaza Strip, on Sunday. Credit: AFP/EYAD BABA

While Gaza’s housing crisis remains catastrophic with cement and steel blocked by Israel from entering the Strip, some Palestinians are turning to improvised methods and other workarounds in a bid to make their shelters safer or more habitable.

Among those Palestinians is Jaafar Atallah, a potter in Gaza, who decided to build a home from the earth. It was to be like the bread ovens his family had been making for generations, but big enough for his parents to live in, according to the Financial Times.

Atallah gathered clay from an area of Gaza a few kilometers from his tent and — with the help of about 15 people, including his father, also a potter — he set about making mud bricks.

For months, they learned as they built. Finally, they completed a domed hut, “so solid you could stand on top of it”, said Atallah, whose project was backed by pottery groups around the world after he shared videos online.

The clay structure was a relief after the flimsy protection of the tent: “You can keep your food in this room. In a tent, tomatoes and cucumbers won’t last a day and will rot. Life in the tents is so hard. There is such heat in the summer, it is torture,” Atallah said.

Atallah’s experience reflects the reality of thousands of families looking for alternatives after almost all buildings in Gaza have been destroyed by two years of bombardment amid Israel’s ban on concrete and steel imports.

Several Gazans are reusing steel reinforcing bars and concrete from the debris of buildings, scavenging for cement lying underwater in the port and resorting to mud to make bricks and mortar.

“We already have clay in our land, we don’t have to manufacture it, we don’t need things that we have to get from the crossing [with Israel], which is at the whim of the occupation,” said Atallah, who even designed a waterproof glaze for the bricks. “The occupation does not control this. It’s from our land, our soil.”

According to the UN, 1.9 million Gazans are displaced or live in tents, which lack sanitation or other utilities.

Reconstruction of Gaza remains a distant dream for its people. Israel bans building materials from entering Gaza on the grounds that the materials may be used for military purposes such as tunnel construction.

In May, teenage sisters Tala, 17, and Farah Moussa, 15, won a youth-focused award from the Swiss-based Earth Foundation for recycling cement debris into bricks.

Displaced with their family five times since the start of the war, they now live in a tent in Nuseirat in the center of the Gaza Strip. “We got the idea when our house was bombed,” said Tala. “We thought we had to do something and find a solution that comes from the problem itself, so we are using the rubble.”

Tala said, “We made five or six prototypes before we got it right. We researched on the internet and in books. Now we want to use the [$12,500] prize money to set up workshops to teach others how to make bricks.”

Using mud and stones, Gaza residents rebuild homes destroyed in months of conflict, as lack of access to construction material leaves families with few options.

Their efforts reflect the ability to adapt to the most extreme conditions to restore a normal life, even within walls built from the earth and the debris of buildings.

Arab World

Yemen Seeks Resumption of US Investments in Energy Sector

Al-Alimi during his meeting with the delegation from Hunt Oil Company (Saba)
Al-Alimi during his meeting with the delegation from Hunt Oil Company (Saba)
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Yemen Seeks Resumption of US Investments in Energy Sector

Al-Alimi during his meeting with the delegation from Hunt Oil Company (Saba)
Al-Alimi during his meeting with the delegation from Hunt Oil Company (Saba)

The head of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), Rashad Al-Alimi, has met with a delegation from the American Hunt Oil Company, headed by the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Hunter Hunt.

The meeting on Sunday reviewed opportunities for partnership between the Yemeni government and Hunt Oil in the exploration, production, and export of oil and gas. It also discussed prospects for the company to resume its investments in Yemen in support of the country’s economic recovery and energy security.

Al-Alimi was briefed by the delegation on the company’s current operations, future plans, and promising investment opportunities in Yemen’s oil sector, building on its long-standing partnership with the Yemeni government.

The PLC President praised Hunt Oil’s pioneering role in establishing Yemen’s petroleum sector, including the discovery of the country’s first commercially viable oil reserves, its contributions to developing oil infrastructure, training national personnel, and its role as a key partner in the Yemen LNG project.

He said these contributions would remain a source of appreciation for both the government and the Yemeni people.

Al-Alimi also outlined the economic, financial, and administrative reforms being implemented by the government, particularly in the oil and gas sector.

He highlighted efforts to improve the investment climate, strengthen transparency and governance, and provide the necessary guarantees for the return of foreign companies across various sectors.

He commended Saudi support to Yemen’s economy, describing it as a key pillar for enhancing stability, advancing economic reform, and restoring investor confidence.

The PLC President reaffirmed the state’s commitment to providing all necessary support and facilities for investors. He said the government would work with regional and international partners to secure vital infrastructure and create conditions for the resumption of production activities.

He added that improving living standards and security across the country remains a top priority for the Yemeni government.

Arab World

Syria, Iraq Agree to Expand Cooperation in Energy, Security and Economy

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa receives Iraqi FM Fuad Hussein in Damascus on Monday. (SANA)
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa receives Iraqi FM Fuad Hussein in Damascus on Monday. (SANA)
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Syria, Iraq Agree to Expand Cooperation in Energy, Security and Economy

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa receives Iraqi FM Fuad Hussein in Damascus on Monday. (SANA)
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa receives Iraqi FM Fuad Hussein in Damascus on Monday. (SANA)

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein visited Damascus on Monday on his first trip since there since the ouster of Bashar al-Assad's regime in December 2024.

He held talks with President Ahmed al-Sharaa and his Syrian counterpart Asaad al-Shaibani.

The meeting with Sharaa focused on bilateral relations and ways to expand cooperation across various sectors, reported Syria’s state news agency SANA.

The two sides also discussed regional and international developments and stressed the importance of strengthening coordination and consultation between Syria and Iraq in addressing shared challenges.

Talks with Shaibani focused on practical mechanisms to strengthen bilateral relations and advance mutual cooperation across various sectors.

The FMs agreed to establish a high committee for joint coordination, co-chaired by both ministers, to ensure the consistent follow-up and execution of outcomes stemming from bilateral cooperation while streamlining joint initiatives.

The discussions also focused on energy infrastructure, specifically looking into mechanisms for oil transit and grid integration, alongside a project to rehabilitate oil pipelines extending from Iraq to Syria.

They also addressed frameworks for strategic cooperation in the sectors of water management and agriculture, which aims to boost mutual food security, stimulate economic integration, and serve shared bilateral interests.

They explored avenues to upgrade security coordination and intelligence sharing, bolstering regional stability and supporting collaborative efforts to confront mutual security challenges.