Donald Trump
Donald TrumpReuters

Dr. David Bukay, a Professor of Middle East Studies at the University of Haifa, on Thursday welcomed the US decision to shut down the Palestine Liberation Organization’s (PLO) representation in Washington.

In a conversation with Arutz Sheva, Bukay expressed hope that the unequivocal message that emerges from the White House will resonate well in Ramallah.

"For years the PLO has become accustomed to receiving the conditions of a celebrity, and despite being a terrorist organization, it has opened diplomatic missions all over the world. The Washington mission almost had the status of an embassy,” he said.

"Trump, unlike the conventional world of diplomacy, proves himself to be a president with orderly thinking, an extraordinary president. He is like Lincoln was during his time and he has already bypassed Reagan. He is an extraordinary president,” continued Bukay, who expressed hope that the Palestinian Arabs will internalize the new message coming from Washington.

"While this is an impractical symbolic act, there is some meaning to the fact that the Palestinians will no longer be able to raise their flag in Washington. They cannot hold on to their refusal and terrorism on one hand and receive everything on the other hand.”

"Today the Palestinians receive millions of dollars in the world, they are welcomed everywhere with red carpets and, like a little boy who gets everything he wants without contributing anything, they tell themselves that ‘if we get everything anyway, why change?’"

Bukay expressed regret over the fact that countries in Europe continue to back Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman Mahmoud Abbas.

"European leaders continue to suck up to the Palestinians and say that they will give them everything that the US will stop giving. Europe remains anti-Semitic. Trump was smart and like a businessman he rightly says: ‘You want help? Pay for it with diplomatic action.’ I hope that in the future Europe will follow suit."