NEW YORK – President Trump said Wednesday he is prepared to pour his heart and soul into brokering a permanent peace agreement between the Israelis and Palestinians, something his staff has been working intensely on for months.
“I certainly will devote everything within my heart and within my soul to get that deal made,” Trump said during a bilateral sit-down with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly. “From the time I was a little boy, I’ve been hearing about peace in the Middle East. We’re going to see what we can do.”
Top White House officials Jared Kushner and Jason Greenblatt have met regularly with Israeli and Palestinian officials since Trump took office to develop a framework for a lasting Mideast peace agreement. Both aides traveled with deputy national security adviser Dina Powell to the Middle East late last month for discussions with representatives from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates.
Trump indicated Wednesday he remains optimistic about achieving peace in the Middle East, though he cautioned “there will be no promises” made by his administration.
“So many people have talked about it and it’s never happened,” he said. “But we are fighting very hard. We are trying very hard. We are all getting along together very well. We’ll see if we can do it and if we do do it, it will be a great, great legacy for everybody.”
Abbas said his delegation has met with Trump’s team “more than 20 times” since the president took office, noting he is “very grateful for these efforts.”
“I’m very delighted to be here with President Trump. If it is any proof to anything, it is to attest to the seriousness of your excellency … to achieve the deal of the century during this year or in the coming months,” he said.
