Abbas to meet with Trump in May, Palestinian official says

The advance team and the Trump administration officials the peace process, economic, and security issues.

By ADAM RASGON
Updated: APRIL 18, 2017 00:35
Donald Trump (L) and Mahmoud Abbas (R) (photo credit: REUTERS)
Donald Trump (L) and Mahmoud Abbas (R)
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will meet with US President Donald Trump on May 3 in Washington, top Palestinian official Ahmed Majdalani said on Sunday.
“This is a very important visit in which we hope to agree on the fundamentals to revive the peace process and discuss bilateral relations,” Majdalani told The Jerusalem Post in a phone call.
The White House has not confirmed the date for the meeting.
Majdalani added that an advance team, including chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat, PA Intelligence chief Majid Faraj and Abbas’s economic adviser, Muhammad Mustafa, will arrive in the American capitol in the coming days to meet with officials in the Trump administration.
The advance team and Trump administration officials will discuss the peace process, as well as economic and security issues, according to Majdalani.
Trump invited Abbas to the White House in March during his first phone call with the Palestinian leader.
Since the phone call, Abbas has met twice with Trump’s special representative for international negotiations, Jason Greenblatt.
Majdalani said that the Palestinian leadership is hopeful about the Trump administration’s plans for renewing the peace process.
“I am optimistic,” Majdalani remarked.
Palestinian officials hope that Trump will offer his support for the two-state solution and pressure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to freeze settlement building.
Trump told Netanyahu at a White House press conference in February to hold off on building settlements.
Abbas is expected to visit a number of Arab and European countries ahead of his visit to Washington.