President Trump said Tuesday in Jerusalem that a peace deal with the Palestinians is possible, and said he would continue working with both sides to reach what he admitted is a goal that would be difficult to reach.
“Making peace, however, will not be easy,” Trump said during a speech at the Israel Museum alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “We all know that. Both sides will face tough decisions. But with determination, compromise, and the belief that peace is possible, Israelis and Palestinians can make a deal.”
On Tuesday, Trump met with President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority, who he described as someone who is eager to keep trying.
“As I have repeatedly said, I’m personally committed to helping Israelis and Palestinians achieve a peace agreement. And I had a meeting this morning with President Abbas and can tell you that the Palestinians are ready to reach for peace. I know you’ve heard it before,” he said.
“I am telling you that’s what I do, they are ready to reach for peace,” Trump added in a reference to his past as a dealmaker in the business world.
Before that meeting, Netanyahu encouraged Trump to push Abbas to end the policy of paying the families of Palestinian terrorists who die attacking Jews.
“I hope that President Abbas heeds the principles, the clear, strong moral and practical principles that you enunciated today, President Trump,” he said. “Stop rewarding terrorists, stop glorifying murderers.”
“And as you said this morning, Mr. President, funding and rewarding terrorism must end. Standing next to you, President Abbas condemned the horrific attack in Manchester,” he added. “Well, I hope this heralds a real change. Because if the attacker had been Palestinian and the victims had been Israeli children, the suicide bomber’s family would have received a stipend from the Palestinian authority. That’s Palestinian law. That law must be changed.”
Trump reiterated that the United States “is firmly committed to keep Iran from developing a nuclear weapon and halting their support of terrorists and militias.”
“So we are telling you right now that Iran will not have nuclear weapons,” he said.
Trump won applause by pledging to Israel that his administration would “stand by you and defend our shared values so that together we can defeat terrorism and create safety for all of God’s children.”
“Israelis have experienced firsthand the hatred and terror of radical violence,” Trump said. “Israelis are murdered by terrorists wielding knives and bombs. Hamas and Hezbollah launch rockets into Israeli communities where school children have to be trained to hear the sirens and to run to the bomb shelters with fear but with speed. ISIS targets Jewish neighborhoods, synagogues and store fronts. And Iran’s leaders, routinely call for Israel’s destruction.”
“Not with Donald J. Trump,” the president said. “Believe me.”
Speaking of Netanyahu, Trump said: “He wants peace. He loves people. He especially loves the Israeli people. Benjamin Netanyahu wants peace.”
Earlier Tuesday, Trump and Netanyahu did a joint appearance at Yad Vashem, a Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem. Trump arrived in Israel on Monday and leaves for Rome on Tuesday.
