Ever since US President Donald Trump took up office in the White House on Jan. 20, Palestinians have felt the weight of tensed relations in the years ahead, in light of his positions supporting Israel and his expected hostility toward the Palestinians. Trump has expressed his intention to move the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, and apparently believes the settlements in the West Bank are not an obstacle for resuming negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians.
Indeed, Trump began his inauguration speech Jan. 20 by threatening to eliminate radical Islamic terrorism. Although Trump did not mention Palestine, Mousa Abu Marzouk, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, said on the same day that Trump’s stance against Palestine does not serve the region’s stability, but rather entices Israeli extremists to exhibit more extremism.