Donald Trump invites Mahmoud Abbas to White House
America's president invites Palestinian counterpart to Washington to discuss resuming peace talks
US President Donald Trump has invited Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas to the White House to discuss resuming peace talks in their first contact since Mr Trump took office in January.
Mr Abbas’ spokesman Nabil Abu Rdeneh said that Abbas would travel “very soon”.
The White House said in a statement that the two leaders had discussed ways to advance peace throughout the Middle East, including a comprehensive agreement that would end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
“The president emphasised his personal belief that peace is possible and that the time has come to make a deal,” the White House said.
“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.”
Mr Trump underscored that such a peace agreement must be negotiated directly between the two parties, and that the United States will work closely with Palestinian and Israeli leadership to make progress toward that goal, the statement said.
“We are ready to deal with President Trump and the Israeli government to resume the negotiations,” Mr Abu Rdeneh said. “If the Israelis are ready, President Abbas has committed himself to a peaceful deal with President Trump.”
Mr Abu Rdeneh added that “President Trump is a very honest man, very courageous man, looking for a deal, a just deal.”
There was no immediate comment from the Israeli government.
The last round of US-mediated peace talks collapsed in 2014.
Keep community journalism free.
Jewish News is free for everyone. No paywall. No barriers. Just trusted journalism for anyone who wants to stay connected to Jewish life in Britain.
If you value that, please support us.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Every day, we report on the issues that matter to our community. We celebrate achievements, support charities, challenge antisemitism and ensure Jewish voices are heard more widely.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help us continue to:
- Report on the stories shaping Jewish life in the UK and beyond
- Bring our community together through shared stories, events and campaigns
- Celebrate the people, culture and moments that define our community
- Support organisations doing vital work across Jewish Britain
You can make a one-off donation or become a regular supporter. Every contribution helps keep our journalism free, independent and accessible to all.
If everyone who values Jewish News gave a small amount, it would make a real difference to our future.
