Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated US President-elect Donald Trump, who stunned the world by defeating his rival Hillary Clinton in the race for the White House, ending eight years of Democratic rule and sending the United States on a new path. Prime Minister Netanyahu, who had received staunch support from Trump during his own election in Israel, said he looked forward to working together with his friend in advancing security, prosperity and peace.
“President-elect Trump, my friend, congratulations on being elected President of the United States of America. You are a great friend of Israel, over the years you’ve expressed your support consistently, and I deeply appreciate it. I look forward to working with you to advance security, prosperity and peace. Israel is grateful for the broad support it enjoys among the American people, and I am confident that the two of us working closely together will bring the great alliance between our two countries to even greater heights. May God bless America, may God bless Israel, may God bless our enduring alliance,” said Netanyahu.
During a meeting in New York in September between Trump and Netanyahu, the President-elect promised the Israeli leader that Washington would “recognize Jerusalem as the undivided capital of the state of Israel,” a recognition which was rejected by past American Presidents, whom deemed East Jerusalem as lands which would ultimately become part of a future Palestinian state. Even though the prospects of a two-state solution might be put on hold by a Trump Administration, or even vanish all together, the Palestinian leadership is voicing cautious optimism, stressing that the realization of a Palestinian state next to Israel is a higher American interest.
“Well, the United States is not a country of moods of individuals, it’s a country that’s specifies its foreign policy in accordance with its interests. And as I told you, for both the Republicans and the Democrats, realizing the two-state solution under the 1967 lines is a higher national American interest and I think this will continue,” said Saeb Erekat, Palestine Liberation Organization Secretary-General. Palestinians in the West Bank do not share their leaders’ optimism, saying the election of Trump would damage their aspirations.
“Of course it will affect us the most, the Palestinians, the Palestinian people. The Palestinian issue will be put in a freezer for another four years, until some other dog will rule America,” said Jawde A-Natshe, Palestinian West Bank resident / “As Palestinians, the victory of Trump is a shock for us, because we know he will use this victory to ruin and destroy the Palestinian people and the Palestinian cause,” said Hani Jamil Abu Haikal, Palestinian West Bank resident.
Meanwhile in the Gaza Strip, the internationally recognized terror group – the Islamist Hamas organization – urged US President-elect Donald Trump to ‘bring justice to the Palestinians’. “The Palestinian people are not very much concerned about the changes in American policies towards the Palestinian cause because such a policy is constant and is based on bias in favor of the Israeli occupation. However, we urge the American President to re-evaluate this policy and to work on bringing justice to the Palestinians,” said Sami Abu Zuhri, Hamas Spokesman.
Meanwhile, on the streets of Jerusalem, Israelis welcomed the election of Trump, believing he was the better choice when it comes to safeguarding Israel’s interests. “I think Trump will be better for Israel, he said a few times that he’s going to transfer the embassy of U.S to Jerusalem says he will not impose his will for settlements, in between Palestinians and Israel so I think it’s better for us,” said Orly Tal, Israeli Jerusalem resident / “I voted for donald trump, but I voted against hillary and as you see my hat is all for making America great, because I feel when America is great and back on its feet, which it hasn’t been for a long time, then Israel will be strong and Israel will be even greater,” said Rissa Shapiro, Dual-Israeli American Jerusalem resident.