It is not surprising that Shtayyeh would fear a Trump win. The Prime Minister knows full well what a Trump win would mean for his jihadist anti-Israel agenda. Under Trump, Israel will be strengthened, while the Palestinian jihad will be further stymied. The globalist cause will also be hindered.
“Palestinian PM: God help us if Trump wins,” by Lahav Harkov, Jerusalem Post, October 13, 2020:
Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh told the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee on Monday that voting US President Donald Trump out of office is critical for the Palestinians.
“The election is very important. God help us, the EU, and the whole world if there are four more years of Trump,” he said.
Shtayyeh spoke out against Trump’s peace plan, presented earlier this year.
“Trump has wasted four years of everyone’s time,” he said. “The ultimate deal was not delivered. [Trump’s plan] was rejected by the Palestinians, the Arabs and Europe… The US is just too biased.”
Shtayyeh called for Europe to recognize a Palestinian state, saying it would help bring about a two-state solution and called for a full association agreement to be drawn up between the EU and the PA in preparation for statehood.
The PA prime minister lamented Trump’s “unilateral measures,” such as moving the US embassy to Jerusalem and the US cutting aid to the Palestinians.
Among other reasons, the US slashed the aid because of the Taylor Force Act, which halts American funding to the PA until it stops paying terrorists and their families through its Martyr’s Fund. In 2019, the PA spent NIS 517.4 million ($152.6m.) on salaries to terrorists, in and out of prison.
MEP Charlie Weimers of Sweden, a member of the European Conservatives and Reformists, challenged Shtayyeh on this front, asking: “Can you look European taxpayers in the eye and promise that none of their money – directly or indirectly – will be used for terrorism? Can you promise them that you will cease the support for terrorism and embrace peace?”
Weimers highlighted “loopholes in EU counter-terrorism financing legislation, which lead to EU funds to the PA being funneled to EU-listed terror organizations.”.
Among those organizations are the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
Shtayyeh, however, said the “Palestinian leadership has never accepted terrorism” and it “calls for peaceful resistance, two states, negotiating and international law.”