Abbas says Trump brings hope for 'peace'

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas says he hopes recent meetings with US President Donald Trump’s team lead to “peace” between Israelis and Palestinians.

Trump called the Palestinian president on March 10 for the first time since his inauguration, inviting him to the White House.

“We’ll decide on [the date of] this meeting as quickly as possible,” Abbas tells a press conference at his presidential complex in Ramallah.

Abbas says he welcomes the visits of several US officials, including CIA chief Mike Pompeo in mid-February and Trump’s special representative for international negotiations, Jason Greenblatt, whom he met on Tuesday.

“We have exchanged many ideas,” Abbas says. “Our hope is that those contacts result in the end in a peace that is led by the United States and the international community.”

— AFP