January 22, 2025
By Nasser Kandil
• Those who followed Donald Trump’s statements after his inauguration speech, which notably omitted any mention of the Palestinian cause or commitments to regional stability and a peaceful resolution, were struck by several positions he later expressed.
• President Trump signed an executive order lifting sanctions imposed by his predecessor, Joe Biden – who is no less staunch in his support for Israel and openly proud of his Zionism. The sanctions Trump reversed targeted four settlers with a documented history of racist crimes. Biden had originally imposed these measures to feign balance, suggesting accountability for extremist settlers while heavily backing the occupying army during its war on Gaza, rife with atrocities.
• Trump’s move, which disregarded Arab and Palestinian sentiments, aimed to curry favor with the most extreme pro-Israel factions. It underscored the low regard in which Arabs are held in Trump’s worldview.
• When asked about Gaza’s reconstruction, Trump’s response revealed his perspective – seeing Gaza as an attractive real estate opportunity for speculation and profit-driven projects. He ignored the reality that it is home to two million Palestinians, displaced and living without shelter, reducing a profound humanitarian crisis to a mere business venture.
• When questioned about the possibility of making Saudi Arabia his first overseas visit again, as he had done previously, Trump remarked that he might consider it – if the Saudis increased the amount they paid him, factoring in inflation.
• For Trump, Arabs represent spilled blood to appease settlers he seeks to win over, a lucrative real estate opportunity ripe for exploitation, and wealthy patrons expected to pay exorbitantly for the slightest attention.
• This perception is not solely Trump’s doing or that of other American officials. It is a reflection of the image Arabs themselves have cultivated in the eyes of Trump and his counterparts.
