TEL AVIV — A fountain in Donald Trump Square in the central Israeli city of Petah Tikva was turned red on Monday, after anti-sovereignty activists dyed the water with food coloring and graffitied the words “annexation will cost us blood” at the site.
The vandalism at the fountain, which was inaugurated last year in honor of the Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, was the latest in a series of acts of protests over Israel’s plans to apply sovereignty over parts of the West Bank.
Some Israelis fear the measure, which would start as early as Wednesday, could spark violence and Palestinian terrorism.
A poll released by the Israel Democracy Institute earlier this month found just over half of Israelis support the government’s plans to annex.
Petah Tikva mayor Rami Greenberg vowed to bring the vandals to justice.
“The vandalization of public property is a nefarious act, which must be ripped out by its roots,” said Greenberg.
Meanwhile the vandals told Channel 12 that moving forward with the plan was a one-way street to violence.
“There are steps that cannot be taken back. We will never forget our fears from the terror attacks of our childhood,” they said, referencing the Second Intifada which saw a wave of suicide bombings and other acts of terror from 2000 – 2005.
The fountain includes a sculpture with the Israeli and American flags and a sign that hails Trump for being “the first to acknowledge Jerusalem as the Capital of Israel.”
The Trump administration’s “vision for peace” sees Israel annexing 30 percent of the West Bank and the Jordan Valley. It also delineates a demilitarized Palestinian state established on most of the West Bank with parts of eastern Jerusalem that are outside the Israeli security fence as its capital.
If Israel goes ahead with the plans, the Palestinian leadership warned it would unilaterally declare a state based on the pre-1967 lines.
Jordan has warned of a “massive conflict” if Israel proceeds with the plan, raising concerns the Hashemite Kingdom may even cancel its peace treaty with the Jewish state.
Several European states have also warned both Israel and the U.S. against the move.
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