Abbas’ turn for Trump talks
COMMIT TO INDEPENDENT PALESTINIAN STATE If Trump wants to mediate and leads us to a historic agreement... we are ready to be his partners – Abbas aide.
Donald Trump made the short trip from Jerusalem to Bethlehem on Tuesday to meet Mahmoud Abbas, who was hoping to convince the unpredictable US president to remain committed to an independent Palestinian state.
His talks in Bethlehem with the Palestinian president came after Trump on Monday made a heavily symbolic visit to the Western Wall in Jerusalem and met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
He arrived in Bethlehem by motorcade, crossing a checkpoint at Israel’s separation wall, and was greeted by Abbas and other dignitaries.
Trump has spoken of reviving long-stalled peace efforts between the Israelis and Palestinians, but few specifics have emerged of how he intends to do so.
On Monday, Trump avoided delving into details. “I have a feeling that we’re going to get there eventually, I hope,” he said.
On Monday, Trump also lashed out at Iran, Israel’s arch-enemy, saying it should never be allowed to have nuclear weapons and criticising Tehran for supporting “terrorists” – a reference to militant groups it backs in the region. In Tehran on Monday, Iran’s newly re-elected President Hassan Rouhani ridiculed US strategy in the Middle East, dismissing Trump’s summit with Arab leaders in Saudi Arabia as “just a show”.
In Bethlehem, Hossam Zomlot, an aide to Abbas, said that “if President Trump wants to mediate and leads us to a historic agreement, a major agreement, we are ready to be his partners”.
Trump initially sparked deep concern among Palestinians when he backed away from the long US commitment to a twostate solution to the conflict.
Meeting Netanyahu in the US in February, he said he would support a single state if it led to peace, delighting Israeli right-wingers who want to see most of the West Bank annexed.
During his election campaign, he advocated moving the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, alarming Palestinians. He has since said the move was still being looked at. – AFP