Daijiworld Media Network - Washington

Washington, Jul 9: Middle East experts have warned that altering national borders in the region could ignite chaos and deepen instability, following controversial comments by a US official aligned with President Donald Trump’s administration. The remarks, suggesting that borders in the region are ‘illusory’ and nation-states have "not worked well," have alarmed geopolitical observers.

The statement came during a briefing on the administration's recent decision to lift sanctions on Syria and push for diplomatic ties between Syria and Israel. Praising the Ottoman Empire's pre-nation-state structure, the official implied that a new regional model could emerge. “The nation-states haven’t worked very well,” the official said, adding that trust between warring sides matters more than where borders are drawn.

The Trump administration, known for its radical geopolitical stances, has previously supported contentious ideas such as redrawing global maps and even displacing Palestinians from Gaza for a US-owned “Riviera.” Critics fear the administration may now be open to revising colonial-era borders in the Middle East, benefiting regional powers like Israel, Turkey, and Syria.

Jordanian political analyst Hazem Ayyad warned that such thinking “will create more chaos,” especially if attempts are made to pressure Hezbollah in Lebanon or renegotiate border demarcations across the region. “If the Americans open this door, it cannot be closed,” he said.

Former Israeli adviser Nimrod Novik condemned the anonymous US official’s remarks, stressing that lasting peace in the region depends on mutual recognition of sovereign territories. “However artificial these borders may seem, they are essential. Ignoring them will doom the region to more hostility,” Novik said.

The Trump administration is reportedly exploring a framework similar to the 1979 Egypt-Israel peace treaty. However, hopes of an Israeli-Syrian accord are considered unrealistic, especially as Israel continues to occupy parts of Syrian territory following the recent fall of Bashar Al Assad’s regime.

Experts say that while revisiting past peace models may be helpful, undermining established borders could set off a geopolitical chain reaction, with devastating consequences for the region and beyond.