Leader of the Palestinian Authority Tuesday alluded to a potential visit of President Trump to the West Bank as he offered to meet with rival Benjamin Netanyahu to renew the Palestinian-Israeli peace talks.
Mahmoud Abbas indicated that President Trump who will visit Israel on May 22, may soon visit the occupied territories.
“We are looking forward to his visit soon to Bethlehem” in the West Bank, the Palestinian Leader told the media on receiving German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
“We told him (Trump) that we were ready to collaborate with him and meet the Israeli Prime Minister under his auspices to build peace,” Abbas said.
Speculations hint that the visit to the West Bank may occur on May 23.
President Trump received Mahmoud Abbas at the White House last week and promised to commit to ending the decades-long Palestine-Israel conflict.
Though Abbas and the international community are committed to the two-state solution, President Trump has stepped aside arguing that he would support one–state solution if that was the best option.
Trump also indicated that he would shift the US embassy in Tel Aviv to Jerusalem; a move which will kill the two-state solution.
President Trump is expected to jump on Air force One on May 22 to kick-start his first foreign trip that will take him to Saudi Arabia and to Vatican after a stop in Israel.
The White House did not rule out a visit to the West Bank during his tour but indicated that it was “contingent on security and Abbas taking concrete steps toward peace”.
