Competition is growing between Democrats and Republicans in the US presidential race, as Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and Republican candidate Donald Trump prepare for the presidential race culminating next November.

The Palestinian cause and ties with Israel have come up for both candidates in their campaigns. In a statement Feb. 21, Clinton said, “I … believe the Palestinians deserve to have a state of their own.” She reaffirmed her endorsement of a two-state solution and said that she supports Israel.

Trump said Feb. 17 that a peace agreement in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is “probably the toughest agreement of any kind,” adding, “But I will give it one hell of a shot” if elected.

Husam Zomlot, the Ramallah-based executive deputy commissioner for Fatah's Commission for International Affairs, told Al-Monitor, “As Palestinians in general, we are not concerned with the US electoral campaigns. Our history with both Democratic and Republican administrations is long, and many previous presidents failed to fulfill the aspirations of the Palestinian people, namely the establishment of a state and liberation from occupation. What concerns us is the political approach that the next president will adopt, irrespective of whether it will be Clinton or Trump. Much of what we hear these days is designed to gain the sympathy of US public opinion and attract votes and funding, which mostly emanates from Jewish parties.”