Here in the Qalandiya refugee camp, just behind the main Israeli checkpoint between in the occupied , Palestinian residents have been following the US election closely, with little hope for fundamental change.
“The names of presidents change, but it will be the same US foreign policy in this region. There will be different faces, but they don’t stand with us, only the smaller countries stand with Palestinians,” Ahmad Lafi, a young painter from the camp, told DW.
Most people here are already worried about their near future after Israel banned the , which provides services to the camp’s population.
In 2018, then-President Trump cut funding to UNRWA, reversing a long-standing US policy of support at the time. “It’s only getting worse,” said Ibtisam, an elderly woman who declined to give her last name.
Nuraldin Muter, a young shopkeeper, is very concerned about what Trump’s re-election means for Palestinians.
“Israel and the US are close allies and we are very worried about what will happen. They have already banned UNRWA and we are afraid that the Israeli authorities will close down their offices and services here. The [Israeli] army is raiding the camp almost on a daily basis and we are afraid this will only get worse. There is no accountability,” Muter told DW.
He is also concerned that Donald Trump’s re-election could fuel anti-Muslim sentiment around the world.
Many here say they have lost all sense of optimism as the war in Gaza continues with no political solution in sight. “It’s going to be more of the same, although with Trump it could be even worse,” said Samer, a taxi driver who declined to give his last name. “Will I see any change in the situation for Palestinians in the region? Not in my lifetime.”
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