Trump invites Palestinian leader Abbas to White House - aide

[rooster59]

Trump invites Palestinian leader Abbas to White House - aide

By Luke Baker

 

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas attends the 34th session of the Human Rights Council at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, February 27, 2017. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File Photo

 

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday invited Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to the White House, an Abbas spokesman said, after the two leaders spoke by phone for the first time since Trump took office.

"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," said Abbas spokesman Nabil Abu Rdainah.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer in Washington later confirmed Trump had invited Abbas to a meeting at the White House very soon.

Palestinians are concerned at the more favourable approach shown by Washington towards Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu since Trump came to power.

Netanyahu and Trump have spoken on the phone at least twice since the Jan. 20 inauguration and Netanyahu visited Washington last month.

Palestinian officials indicated Abbas would emphasise his concern about Israeli settlement-building on occupied land and the need for a two-state solution to the conflict.

"President Abbas stressed the commitment to peace as a strategic choice to establish a Palestinian State alongside the state of Israel," Abu Rdainah said, according to the official Palestinian WAFA news agency.

At a Feb. 15 news conference during Netanyahu's visit, Trump was ambivalent about a two-state solution, the mainstay of U.S. 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," Trump said, causing consternation across the Arab world and in many European capitals.

SETTLEMENTS

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

David Friedman, Trump's nominee for ambassador to Israel, who was approved by the Senate foreign relations committee on Thursday, has said he wants to see the embassy move to Jerusalem and expects to work from the city at least some of the time.

While one of the first calls to a foreign leader made by Trump's predecessor Barack Obama was to Abbas, Trump has been cautious in his contacts with the Arab world.

He has spoken to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and met Jordan's King Abdullah, who took the initiative and flew to Washington for an impromptu visit.

One of the most heated issues between Israel and the Palestinians is Israel's building of settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, territory the Palestinians want for their own state along with Gaza.

During the campaign, Trump said he did not necessarily see settlements as an obstacle to peace. Since his inauguration, Israel has announced plans to build at least 6,000 more settler homes, a substantial increase and an indication that Israel took Trump's softer language as a green light.

But during Netanyahu's visit, Trump said he wanted the Israeli prime minister to "hold back on settlements for a little bit", a position that took Netanyahu by surprise. Israeli and U.S. officials are now discussing what the parameters are on settlements.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-03-11

[Chang_paarp]

I wonder if he will be subjected to "extreme vetting" at immigration like many of his compatriots?

[whatawonderfulday]

And with a bit of luck he will detonate his suicide vest when shaking hands with Trump. 2 birds with one stone so to speak.

[mfd101]

The Education of Donald continues.

 

Contrary to some people, I have never thought of him as stupid or irrational. He's obviously street smart - after all, he danced rings around the Republican Party & the Clintons during the election campaign, and that takes some doing. But he is ignorant of the world and its complexities.

 

The American system regularly produces Presidents & their staff who, mostly, start out knowing little about anything outside Main Street Hicksville. And, everywhere in the world, politics is local and domestic. But, if he continues to learn and adjust, who knows? in about 7.5 years he might turn out OK as Pres.

Edited March 11, 2017 by mfd101

[daveAustin]

That ezzra guy ain't gonna like this. 

[gamini]

This is good news indeed.

3 hours ago, whatawonderfulday said:

And with a bit of luck he will detonate his suicide vest when shaking hands with Trump. 2 birds with one stone so to speak.

What a childish sick joke.

[ddavidovsky]

Maybe he flipped over to Al Jazeera for a while and happened to see their very illuminating documentary on Palestine.

[dexterm]

45 minutes ago, ddavidovsky said:

Maybe he flipped over to Al Jazeera for a while and happened to see their very illuminating documentary on Palestine.

I agree. Apparently Trump enjoys watching TV. He needs to learn a lot about the origin of the conflict by viewing AJ's documentary Al Nakba on Youtube. Ideal for many other Americans too who live off a diet of Fox and Briebert.

[dexterm]

I am sure Trump would love a Nobel Peace Prize to add to his CV/resume. So he may actually be serious about his "ultimate deal". He's a business man..the supreme test for a fair deal of course is: would he accept whatever is on offer if he were a Palestinian?

 

Hopefully serious peace negotiations emerge from Trump's initiative. And hopefully the details of what is on offer will be completely transparent...be it two state or one state. Otherwise it could be a ruse to enable Netanyahu to return to his stalling mantra...I am willing to negotiate without preconditions(not!) and blame the Palestinians in order to stonewall for another 24 years.

 

If that happens, I would advise Palestinians to start agitating for a single state solution with equal rights for all citizens.

 

It doesn't bode well that his choice of negotiators are his pro settler son-in-law and new ambassador Friedman who called the two state solution a "scam" and disgustingly American Jews with left-leaning political views  “far worse than kapos.”

 

Let's see what unfolds.

Edited March 11, 2017 by dexterm
grammar

[elgordo38]

More than likely to turn out to be like his reality show. The opening statement will more than likely go something like this "Mr. Abbas have I got a deal for you. Pick door number one or door number two. Depending on the door you pick Palestine will be a one or two country state"

[elgordo38]

6 minutes ago, dexterm said:

I am sure Trump would love a Nobel Peace Prize to add to his CV.

The category still to be chosen. 

[Jingthing]

2 minutes ago, elgordo38 said:

The category still to be chosen. 

Best orange clown comes to mind. 

[elgordo38]

2 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Best orange clown comes to mind. 

Your prejudiced. 

[Jingthing]

1 minute ago, elgordo38 said:

Your prejudiced. 

I'd be willing to consider other orange clowns in the competition. Such as Baskets the Clown. 

[bandito]

On ‎3‎/‎11‎/‎2017 at 7:40 AM, mfd101 said:

The Education of Donald continues.

 

Contrary to some people, I have never thought of him as stupid or irrational. He's obviously street smart - after all, he danced rings around the Republican Party & the Clintons during the election campaign, and that takes some doing. But he is ignorant of the world and its complexities.

 

The American system regularly produces Presidents & their staff who, mostly, start out knowing little about anything outside Main Street Hicksville. And, everywhere in the world, politics is local and domestic. But, if he continues to learn and adjust, who knows? in about 7.5 years he might turn out OK as Pres.

 

First off, Trump is a pathological liar.

There will be no 7.5 more years as he is itching to hit the red button and nuke North-Korea.

Guess what will happen next?

A nuclear winter and all life forms extinct.

He did reserve a burial site too on the Trump golf course for his family, 10 persons.

Impeach him is the only way forward and quick.

 

[Scott]

One of the difficulties in dealing with the Israeli/Palestinian situation is being able to keep a very, very open mind.   Second is the need to be able to listen to a lot of complaining, explaining, justifying and ranting.   Third is the ability to engage both sides in a process.  

 

I hope he is successful, but Trump doesn't appear to be a patient person and this situation requires a lot of patience.  

[Briggsy]

I imagine Trump has his greedy eyes on both sides. While Donald plays the statesman for the cameras, Eric will be negotiating the massive bribes for small shifts in American position. The Israelis have more money. The Israelis have Jared. Abbas has to go but he knows he will get nothing. He would be better off going to Moscow these days and seeing Trump's boss. He might be able to offer the Russians something who would get the Iranians away from the Golan Heights in return for some concession by the Israelis.

[Morch]

On 3/11/2017 at 3:46 PM, dexterm said:

I am sure Trump would love a Nobel Peace Prize to add to his CV/resume. So he may actually be serious about his "ultimate deal". He's a business man..the supreme test for a fair deal of course is: would he accept whatever is on offer if he were a Palestinian?

 

Hopefully serious peace negotiations emerge from Trump's initiative. And hopefully the details of what is on offer will be completely transparent...be it two state or one state. Otherwise it could be a ruse to enable Netanyahu to return to his stalling mantra...I am willing to negotiate without preconditions(not!) and blame the Palestinians in order to stonewall for another 24 years.

 

If that happens, I would advise Palestinians to start agitating for a single state solution with equal rights for all citizens.

 

It doesn't bode well that his choice of negotiators are his pro settler son-in-law and new ambassador Friedman who called the two state solution a "scam" and disgustingly American Jews with left-leaning political views  “far worse than kapos.”

 

Let's see what unfolds.

 

What "Trump initiative" would that be? Is there anything on offer? Somehow doubt it. So far, the Trump administration talks a lot, fumbles a lot, but does and achieves relatively little. Funnily enough, up until this phone talk Trump was portrayed as decidedly in favor of Israel, and as someone who will rubber stamp anything Netanyahu wishes.

 

As opposed to "common wisdom", both sides actually have preconditions. Both sides exhibit intransigence and unwillingness to commit - trying to achieve better terms, worrying about political survival and lacking trust in each other, can be cited as some of the major components.

 

Your sage advice is dully noted. Considering that "the Palestinians" are not all that keen on a one-state solution as you fantasize about, nor are they of one political mind, it will probably be ignored.

 

As far as I am aware, Friedman is slotted to be the US ambassador in Israel, rather than a member of any negotiation team. As far as I recall, most US ambassadors to Israel were not directly part of negotiations. Kushner is indeed a problematic choice, due to his lack of experience and obvious leanings. That said, it remains to see what actual role he will play in this. Whatever "this" is. Seems he's been getting a bit of tutoring from the UAE ambassador to the US for quite some time now, so perhaps not a total lose.

 

"Let's see what unfolds."

 

[Andaman Al]

Maybe Trump is trying to do a land grab himself so he can sell it to the Israeli's. Is there a plan for a Trump Tower or Ivanka clothing in Palestine? 

[Morch]

2 hours ago, Scott said:

One of the difficulties in dealing with the Israeli/Palestinian situation is being able to keep a very, very open mind.   Second is the need to be able to listen to a lot of complaining, explaining, justifying and ranting.   Third is the ability to engage both sides in a process.  

 

I hope he is successful, but Trump doesn't appear to be a patient person and this situation requires a lot of patience.  

 

Indeed. Even former presidents and politicians with greater focus, interest and staying power (not to mention attention span, disregard for details and facts, etc.) found it tiresome and unrewarding. With Trump being Trump, and his staff being what it is - not a whole lot of hope there.

 

I would add another criteria, being able to level with both sides without straying too much from the limitations each faces. In other words, keep it real.

 

There was recent article by one of the Israeli negotiators, which details some of the issues caused by Kerry's management of the process. It also provides an interesting insight as to how things actually go down and how the dynamics of the talks change.

 

Inside the Black Box of Israeli-Palestinian Talks

http://www.the-american-interest.com/2017/02/27/inside-the-black-box-of-israeli-palestinian-talks/

 

A summary of sorts appears here:

 

In politely devastating critique, Israeli negotiator skewers Kerry for dooming peace talks

http://www.timesofisrael.com/in-politely-devastating-critique-israeli-negotiator-skewers-kerry-for-dooming-peace-talks/