US President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence recently made Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu very happy. Most members of the governing coalition cheered as Pence stood at the Knesset podium Jan. 22 and promised that the US Embassy would be moved to Jerusalem by the end of 2018. Apparently Pence did not notice the failed logic of his speech when he called on the Palestinians to come back to the negotiating table. Not only were the Palestinians boycotting his visit, but ever since Trump’s Dec. 6 declaration recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital, they have been unwilling to meet with the president’s envoy to the region, Jason Greenblatt, despite the high esteem and affection he had earned during months of preliminary meetings leading up to an anticipated renewal of negotiations.

As the crisis intensified, Trump met with Netanyahu at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Jan. 25 and further exacerbated the rift between the Americans and the Palestinians. “They disrespected us a week ago by not allowing our great vice president to see them, and we give them hundreds of millions of dollars in aid and support. That money is not going to them unless they sit down and negotiate peace,” said Trump. He then added, “Israel does want to make peace, and they [the Palestinians] are going to have to want to make peace, too, or we aren't going to have anything to do with them any longer.”

Netanyahu just stood there and smiled. He had nothing to add. When it comes to delegitimizing the Palestinians, he now has someone to do the work for him.

Shortly after the Davos meeting, US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley left the Palestinians with no illusions about the direction the United States will be taking in the future, as long as Trump is in the White House. “He [Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas] insulted the American president. He called for suspending recognition of Israel. … We will not chase after a Palestinian leadership that lacks what’s needed to achieve peace,” she said angrily on Jan. 25.