Abbas: Trump reiterated commitment to two-state solution

Palestinian Authority (PA) President, Mahmoud Abbas, said yesterday that the US President Donald Trump is committed to the two-state solution, Anadolu reported.

Image of US President Donald Trump attends a conference at the White House on March 17, 2017 (Samuel Corum/Anadolu Agency)

Abbas’s remarks came during a meeting organised in the West Bank city of Ramallah that marked the completion of a training course for public sector employees.

Speaking about a recent phone call with Trump, Abbas said the discussions were “constructive” and he noted that Trump had made clear “his commitment to the peace process based on the two-state solution and on resolutions in accordance with international legitimacy.”

Read: Hamas official warns Abbas against meeting Trump

“We reiterated our anti-terror position based on our values, religious beliefs and national principles. We have to protect our people and we will continue our cooperation in order to reach a just and comprehensive peace to achieve security and safety for all,” he said.

The PA president added: “Today, the international community has become more willing to accept that the Israeli occupation of Palestine is a major cause behind the crises afflicting the region and the world.”

Last month, Trump told the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, that he had no preference for a one or a two-state solution, but noted that he preferred an agreement amicable to both sides. He also repeated several times that illegal Israeli settlements were not regarded as an obstacle to achieving peace, but he called on Netanyahu to halt the building of new settlements for a short while.