Euphoria, and some anxiety, mark Jewish reaction to Trump plan in Judea and Samaria

Although the consensus is that a Palestinian state would be a disaster for Israel, many express jubilation that the Jewish historic connection to the land is finally acknowledged.

By Batya Jerenberg, World Israel News

When watching on Tuesday the live broadcast of the unveiling of the long-awaited American peace proposal, “I understood what my parents felt when they announced the establishment of the state [in 1948],” Dalia Nadav of the Benjamin village of Anatot told Israel Hayom Thursday.

“Here is a declaration of our historic rights,” she said. “The United States is the strongest country in the world, and in an era of ‘politically correct,’ and the stating of half-truths, a voice was heard that tells the truth as it is.

“Finally, there is a reference here to our history and not to attempts to establish the lie that we are here because of the Holocaust. We are here because we have a history and a Divine promise. There is a realization that we are here to stay.”

Israelis in Judea and Samaria recognize that the Trump deal is historic for allowing Israel to apply sovereignty there.

Shmuel Zilberman of Meitzad, one of the more isolated communities which would become a small Israeli island in a future Palestinian state, expressed his relief at this positive aspect of the plan.

“It’s a huge historic moment…We’ll be annexed to the state. Until now we were stepchildren,” he said.

Jewish residents of Judea and Samaria have complained over the years that they have all the duties of regular citizens, such as army service and paying taxes, but relatively few of the privileges, such as the right to build a home without the Minister of  Defense having to sign off on it.

Among those queried, there was across-the-board opposition to the plan’s call for establishing a Palestinian state in 70 percent of the region. They said the Jewish people are the only ones who have a right to the land of Israel.

Elad Metzuyanim, CEO of the city of Ariel’s development fund, looked at the plan with an eye to the future.

“I believe that there is also a certain harm in using the general term ‘Palestinian state,’” he said.

“I believe that Netanyahu is doing it because he believes that the Palestinians will reject the proposal. In the short term I don’t see harm, because it’s not like a state is going to be established tomorrow, but I see harm in that a leader of the Right is using this rhetoric. Whoever comes after him will have to deal with this legacy.”