Palestinian Issues Strong Warnings To Americans As They Reveal What Could Happen If Trump Wins

As the 2024 US presidential election looms, Palestinians are sounding the alarm about the potential consequences of a second Trump presidency.

According to a report by The Hill on Monday, August 26, 2024, Many fear that Trump’s return to the White House could embolden Israel to take even more aggressive actions against Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.

“Trump would be the worst,” remarked a 50-year-old Palestinian woman seeking refuge in a hospital in Deir el-Balah, central Gaza.

She expressed concern that any candidate who takes office will not advocate for Palestinians, but Trump in particular is seen as a threat.

Palestinians point to Trump’s first term, during which he moved the US embassy to Jerusalem, recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, and brokered the Abraham Accords normalizing relations between Israel and several Arab states.

These actions were viewed by many Palestinians as undermining their cause and emboldening Israeli expansionism.

“Biden has supplied American resources to bolster the Israeli occupation and has employed U.S. vetoes at the United Nations Security Council to shield Israel’s genocidal tactics,” stated Raed Debiy of An-Najah National University in Nablus.

However, he and others fear Trump would go even further in supporting Israeli actions against Palestinians.

There is particular concern that a second Trump term could give Israel a “green light” to formally annex large parts of the occupied West Bank.

During his first term, Trump’s “Peace to Prosperity” plan envisioned Israel annexing up to 30% of the West Bank, including all Israeli settlements.

Palestinians worry Trump could revive this plan or support even more extensive annexation if re-elected.

“With American backing, Israel is the most formidable aggressor against the Arab populace,” asserted Salah Magheb, a 25-year-old Palestinian in Gaza.

He argued that the conflict could have concluded “long ago” if the US had halted its support for Israel’s military actions.

Trump’s inconsistent statements on the current Gaza war have done little to reassure Palestinians.

While criticizing the Biden administration’s handling of the conflict, Trump has not outlined a clear alternative policy.

His former advisers like Jared Kushner have suggested allowing Israel to “finish the job” in Gaza, alarming Palestinians.

David Friedman, Trump’s former ambassador to Israel, recently proposed annexing the West Bank based on Israel’s biblical claims to the land.

Such statements from Trump’s inner circle heighten fears about the potential direction of US policy in a second Trump term.

Palestinians are particularly concerned that Trump could greenlight or turn a blind eye to forced displacement of Gazans.

Some of Trump’s allies have floated the idea of moving Gaza’s population to other countries, a proposal Palestinians vehemently reject.

“Honestly, Palestinians are not concerned about who the next U.S. president will be. They simply want that person to cease the genocide,” said one Palestinian man.

However, many doubt that any US president, Trump included, would be willing to leverage American influence to stop Israeli military actions.

“Netanyahu doesn’t listen. No one can reach him—not Biden, nor anyone else,” said the woman in Deir el-Balah.

She added: “Why? Because no one in America is willing to leverage their influence to stop him.”

This skepticism extends to the prospect of a two-state solution, which Trump’s policies and rhetoric have further undermined.

His “Deal of the Century” was rejected outright by Palestinian leadership as failing to meet even the minimum requirements for Palestinian statehood.

Palestinians fear that four more years of Trump could entrench the current one-state reality of Israeli control over all territory from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea.

Some worry that Trump’s unpredictability and transactional approach to foreign policy could lead to unexpected and potentially harmful outcomes for Palestinians.

His willingness to break with longstanding US policy positions on Israel/Palestine during his first term has many bracing for further shocks.

There are concerns that Trump could cut all US aid to Palestinians or support Israel taking even more drastic military action against Gaza or the West Bank.

His past praise for authoritarian leaders also raises fears that he could give Netanyahu free rein to crack down on Palestinian dissent and resistance.

While some Palestinians see little substantive difference between Trump and Biden on Israel/Palestine issues, many fear Trump would remove even the limited restraints the current administration has placed on Israel.

Biden has called some Israeli actions in Gaza “over the top” and imposed sanctions on some violent settlers, steps Trump is seen as unlikely to take.

Palestinians worry that Trump’s desire to outdo Biden’s pro-Israel credentials could lead to policies even more damaging to Palestinian rights and aspirations.

His transactional approach also raises concerns he could trade away Palestinian interests as part of deals with Israel or Arab states.

Some fear Trump could pressure or incentivize more Arab countries to normalize relations with Israel without any concessions on Palestinian rights.

This could further isolate the Palestinian cause and reduce diplomatic leverage for future negotiations.

Trump’s hostile rhetoric toward Muslims and praise for far-right Israeli politicians also alarms many Palestinians.

They worry his return to office could embolden the most extreme anti-Palestinian elements in Israeli society and government.

While a Biden second term offers Palestinians little hope, many see it as the lesser evil compared to the uncertainties and fears surrounding a Trump presidency.

Ultimately, Palestinians are calling on American voters to consider the human rights implications of their choice at the ballot box in November.

They hope to remind Americans that US policy has real, often devastating consequences for millions of Palestinians living under occupation and blockade.

As the woman in Deir el-Balah put it: “We simply want the next president, whoever it is, to stop the killing and let us live in peace and freedom.”

Whether those pleas will sway American voters remains to be seen, but Palestinians are making clear the high stakes of the upcoming US election for their future.