Donald Trump’s decision to appoint John Bolton as the US national security adviser has sparked strong criticism from Palestinians as he is a well-known Israel supporter. Bolton, who served as Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security under George W. Bush, has been called a “rabidly enthusiastic supporter of the invasion of Iraq” by the Guardian.

Senior Palestinian official Hanan Ashrawi told the AFP that Bolton has a long history of hostility toward Palestinians dating back to his ambassadorship to the UN, where he had “protected Israeli immunity”.

Ashrawi said that Trump’s administration has welcomed “ Zionist extremists, Christian fundamentalists and white racists” with the decision to appoint Bolton as national security adviser. “All this will lead to a devastating reality for Palestine and the region.”, she added.

Bolton, who had previously declared the idea of a two-state solution dead, urged in a Washington Times Op-Ed in 2014 for Gaza to be given back to Egypt and the West Bank to Jordan.

He also voiced strong support for Trump’s Jerusalem decision in a tweet on Dec. 14, 2017 saying “The Middle East peace process has long needed clarity and an injection of reality, and Trump has provided it by making the decision to move the US embassy in #Israel to #Jerusalem."

On the other hand, Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, member of the far-right Jewish Home party, hailed Bolton’s appointment by commenting that Trump continues to appoint Israel’s friends to senior positions.