Abbas invited to White House during Trump phone call

US leader said he wants to discuss ways to achieve peace, Palestinian president's spokeswoman says.

US president Donald Trump made a phone call to Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas on March 10, 2017 and invited him to visit Washington. Kevin Dietsch / Pool via Bloomberg; Hussein Malla / Show more

JERUSALEM // The US President Donald Trump on Friday invited Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas for a visit to the White House.

The two leaders spoke by telephone on Friday evening, their first contact since Mr Trump took office. The duration of the conversation is unclear but Nabil Abu Rdainah, a spokesman for Mr Abbas said, “President Trump has extended an official invitation to President Abbas to visit the White House soon to discuss ways to resume the political process, stressing his commitment to a peace process that will lead to a real peace between the Palestinians and the Israelis.”

The telephone conversation came amid Palestinian concerns about Washington’s more favourable approach towards Israel since Mr Trump became president.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Mr Trump have spoken on the phone at least twice since his inauguration on January 20 and the Israeli leader was warmly received when he visited Washington last month.

It is not known what else Mr Trump and Mr Abbas discussed, but Palestinian officials indicated Mr Abbas would emphasise his concerns about Israeli settlement building on occupied land and the need for a two-state solution to the conflict.

At a news conference during Mr Netanyahu’s visit, Mr Trump was ambivalent about a two-state solution, the mainstay of US policy in the region for the past two decades.

“I’m looking at two-state and one-state, and I like the one that both parties like ... I can live with either one,” Mr Trump said, causing consternation across the Arab world and in many European capitals.

The White House has since been more cautious on the issue, and there has been less talk of moving the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a promise Mr Trump made during the campaign but one that would provoke anger across the Muslim world.

Mr Abbas was one of the first foreign leaders Mr Trump’s predecessor Barack Obama called. In contrast, Mr Trump has been cautious in his contacts with the Arab world.

He has spoken to Egyptian president Abdel Fattah El Sisi and met Jordan’s King Abdullah, who took the initiative and flew to Washington for an impromptu visit.

During the campaign, Mr Trump said he did not necessarily see Israeli settlements as an obstacle to peace and since his inauguration, Israel has announced plans to build at least 6,000 more settler homes. But during Mr Netanyahu’s visit, Mr Trump surprised the Israeli prime minister by asking him to “hold back on settlements for a little bit”.

* Reuters