Israel should be fearful of Trump

Those who followed the press conference that took place last Wednesday in Washington between US President Donald Trump and the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, took note, as one should, that the current US administration will show a greater bias towards Israel than its predecessors. There is no debating this.

This situation does not require “certified facts” to confirm that the Palestinian Authority (PA), which placed all of its eggs in the American basket, is currently living a nightmare. The PA does not know where this path will lead or where it will end. If the situation at hand was limited to the current reality, we would not have been this worried or saddened, but the disaster is that Palestine and its cause and its people are on the brink of a new era of marginalisation and, perhaps, more bloodshed.

The PA or other similar establishments cannot justify these types of realities. Despite this bleak Palestinian scene, and considering that some of these outcomes surpass Israel itself, Trump is not a normal president. He is quite comfortable with himself to the point of extreme narcissism. This is clearly evident in his run for the presidency and the fact that he did not bother to educate himself on the critical issues he would have to one day deal with.

Trump offered Israel an amalgamation of gifts though it is highly unlikely that he will follow through on his promises. For example, Trump stated that the US is not adamant about the two-state solution, though it remains the US government’s official stance since Bill Clinton’s second term. Trump’s statements are pointing to the possibility of support for a one-state solution. In an indirect response he gave to one question, Trump said: “So I am looking at two states and one state and I like the one that both parties like. I am very happy with the one that both parties like.” Trump went on to say that the two-state solution seemed to be the easier option for sometime but that he is willing to accept both as long as both sides are happy.

Minister: I am concerned about decreasing US support for Israel

Trump’s intentions were to assure Israel that the United States will not place pressure on it to allow for the establishment of a Palestinian State in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, with a land connection between the two and East Jerusalem as the official capital. Yet, Trump hit an Israeli nerve without intending to when he spoke of a possible one-state solution, which could only manifest itself in three ways: a democratic secular state, a bi-national state or an apartheid state. All three of these options negate the possibility of Israel becoming an exclusively Jewish state, par excellence. This outcome would be achieved by annexing as much as possible from occupied Palestinian land while also integrating as many Palestinians as possible. Trump’s statements cannot be interpreted in any light other than to say that he does not fully comprehend the weight of his words and that he will continue his attempts to pacify and brush over any subject thrown at him, without allowing anyone else to counter his argument.

Last week, the US media was inundated with news about a phone call that took place between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding the START agreement between both countries and their strategic efforts to put limits on nuclear weapons. The phone call was terminated early due to Trump’s failure to discuss the situation with his advisers, as is required by protocol. Trump is a president that is infatuated with catchy slogans and the need to tackle important issues through simple tweets.

In the press conference, Trump asked both the Israelis and the Palestinians to prepare to make concessions. When asked what concessions were expected of Israel, he suggested a show of flexibility. He did not see the Palestinian side as having made enough concessions though, merely minutes earlier, he suggested that Israel “slow down settlement expansion a little bit”. Although Trump temporarily forwent the need to establish a Palestinian state as a pre-requisite for Israeli-Palestinian peace, as was confirmed by a White House representative the day before Trump’s meeting with Netanyahu, he went back on his statement and asserted that he would be able to accomplish a “deal” between both sides.

The absence of a clear pattern as it concerns Trumps position is the real thing that should worry Israel and it does seem to be worried. Trump as a candidate once said that he would like to be neutral when it concerned the negotiations between the Israelis and the Palestinians. Soon after he questioned whether Israel really wanted peace only to follow up with a new statement expressing his unwavering support for Israel and a vow to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. He promised to consider Jerusalem as Israel’s eternal and undivided capital in the event he is elected president. When the Obama administration refrained from using its veto power to block UN Resolution 2334 in December 2016, Trump condemned the US’ decision and claimed that he would provide Israel with better alternatives. Yet, this month the White House issued a statement condemning the expansion of settlements by saying that they do not help achieve peace. Trump’s so-called unwavering support was not long lasting.

Ben White: Trump and Palestine – so what now?

In short, Trump is completely biased in favour of Israel and he does little to hide his disdain for the Palestinian people. One should not sympathise with him and as I previously stated, the Palestinian cause is the biggest victim of this chaotic presidency. However, Israel is also being impacted by the chaos of this administration, without it getting burned directly. For Israel is strong in Washington and it has fierce allies within the administration and in Trump’s inner circle, especially in his son-in-law Jared Kushner. Kushner comes from a conservative Orthodox Jewish family known for its financial support for Israeli settlements inside the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem. It appears that Kushner will become Trump’s envoy to the Middle East.

Translated from Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, 17 February 2017

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.