One week after ‘deal of century’ revealed, Israeli Arabs say no to Palestine

A week after U.S. President Donald Trump revealed his long-awaited deal of the century, not only are Palestinian officials opposed to the plan, but Israeli Arabs in the North are largely against having their towns come under the auspices of a Palestinian state.

After the announcement, demonstrations erupted in Arab towns, mayors of towns in the area criticized the plan and Israeli Arab media was “without exception” opposed to the idea.

“The Triangle,” a swath of land in Israel and home to 300,000 Arabs, under the Trump plan could fall under the State of Palestine if parties agree to redraw Israel’s borders. Residents would not be evicted, their citizenship would simply change from Israeli to Palestinian.

According to interviews conducted now and over the past fifteen years, a majority of Triangle residents prefer to remain Israeli — even if those who are anti-Israel or refer to themselves as Palestinians.

“No one will deprive us of citizenship in the homeland where we were born,” said Ayman Odeh, head of the Joint List Party.

Of course, they don’t want to be part of a dysfunctional Palestine. In Israel they have prosperity and freedom. Under the Palestinian non-government, they will have poverty and oppression. In Israel they have elections. In Palestine their last elections was 15 years ago. (We have had three just this year – not that we are proud of that!). In Israel they have freedom of speech and a free press. In Palestine journalists can get beaten and imprisoned for reporting the truth.

In Jerusalem, Arabs who prefer to live under Israeli rule have already moved to Jewish neighborhoods to avoid such a predicament.

Regardless, few people are worried that such a move will take place in the near future. Thousands of left-wing Israelis protested the proposal in Tel Aviv on Saturday.

“Annexation is a disaster, no peace, no security,” protesters chanted.

The ever reactionary and emotional Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas declared he was cutting off all ties with Israel and the U.S.

“We’ve informed the Israeli side…that there will be no relations at all with them and the United States, including security ties,” Abbas declared at the Arab League.

The PA, Israeli security services and American intelligence agencies cooperate when it comes to counter terrorism.

“I will never accept this solution,” Abbas said. “I will not have it recorded in my history that I have sold Jerusalem.”

He reiterated the Palestinians’ commitment to ending Israel’s control of the West Bank and establishing a state with its capital in East Jerusalem.