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Israel, Palestinians prepare for Trump era

Israelis and Palestinians are now redrawing the lines for a new diplomatic battle in the aftermath of Donald Trump’s election.
People walk past signs bearing the name of U.S. President-elect Republican Donald Trump in Tel Aviv, Israel November 14, 2016. REUTERS/Baz Ratner  - RTX2TLRV
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Shock and dismay prevailed among the leadership of the Palestinian Authority (PA) following Donald Trump’s election. During the US election campaign, most of the Palestinian official spokespeople claimed that Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump were equally bad news for Palestinian interests. Yet beyond these claims there was a clear preference for Secretary Clinton, out of belief that she could engage with the international community on a two-state solution process. Trump’s election victory shuttered any hope of such prospects.

A senior PLO official told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that Trump’s victory is a historic turning point for the Palestinian leadership. He said, “Donald Trump and his entourage have expressed views that endorse [Prime Minister] Benjamin Netanyahu and [Education Minister] Naftali Bennett’s annexation ideology. The only state a President Trump would be willing to approve would be a binational one. We will not engage in a diplomatic process with the Trump administration unless it recognizes Palestinian statehood on the 1967 lines.”

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