Trump invites Abbas to White House, says he’s committed to peace

While discussing the importance of a peace deal, Trump invites PA leader Abbas to the White House but avoids discussing Israeli construction in Judea and Samaria or moving the US embassy to Jerusalem. 

Following up on his phone call with Donald Trump on Friday, Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas informed Jordan’s King Abdullah on Saturday of the US president’s “commitment to an authentic peace process,” according to the Palestinian news outlet Wafa.

Wafa also quoted Abbas’ spokesman, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, who spoke of Trump’s “commitment to a peace process that would lead to a real peace between Palestinians and Israelis.”

For its part, the White House stated that Trump “emphasized his personal belief that peace is possible and that the time has come to make a deal.”

“The president noted that such a deal would not only give Israelis and Palestinians the peace and security they deserve, but that it would reverberate positively throughout the region and the world,” the statement added. “The United States will work closely with Palestinian and Israeli leadership to make progress toward that goal.”

In that vein, both the White House and Palestinian sources confirmed that Trump had invited Abbas to Washington for an upcoming visit.

Notably absent in the reports on the phone call between the US president and Abbas was any discussion of Trump’s consideration to move the US embassy to Jerusalem as well as Israel’s recent plans to add thousands of new Jewish homes in Judea and Samaria.

By: Jonathan Benedek, World Israel News

Israel-Palestinian peace processPalestinian Authority