Trump to do everything for Middle East peace
BBC
London: US President Donald Trump has said he will do everything to help Israelis and Palestinians achieve peace, reports BBC.
At talks with Mahmoud Abbas, he spoke of being gratified that the Palestinian leader had committed to taking necessary steps to fight terrorism.
Israel and the Palestinians have not held peace talks for three years and Trump acknowledges it would be one of the toughest deals of all to broker.
This is the last day of the US presidents visit to the Middle East.
In both Gaza and the occupied West Bank, Palestinians have held protests against the trip and in support of a hunger strike by Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
On Monday, Trump said he had come to reaffirm the unbreakable bond between the US and Israel and that there was a rare opportunity to bring security and stability and peace to the region.
He flew to Tel Aviv direct from Saudi Arabia, where at a summit on Sunday he urged Arab and Muslim leaders to work together to drive out Islamist extremists.
Trump said he had come to Bethlehem, where the meeting with Mr Abbas was held on Tuesday morning, in a spirit of hope.
I am committed to trying to achieve a peace agreement between the Israelis and the Palestinians, he said. And I intend to do everything I can to help them achieve that goal.
He added the president of the Palestinian Authority had assured him he was ready to work towards that goal in good faith, and that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had promised the same.
Trump also said that he was gratified that Mr Abbas had attended the summit in Riyadh and committed to taking firm but necessary steps to fight terrorism and confront its hateful ideology.
Peace can never take root in an environment where violence is tolerated, funded and even rewarded, he added, apparently referring to payments made by the PA to the families of Palestinian prisoners and those killed in the conflict with Israel. Abbas welcomed Trumps noble and possible mission.
I would like to reiterate our commitment to co-operate with you in order to make peace and forge an historic peace deal with the Israelis, he said.
The US president began his statement with a condemnation of Monday evenings suicide bomb attack at a concert in Manchester.
So many young, beautiful, innocent people living and enjoying their lives murdered by evil losers in life, he said.
Later on Tuesday Trump returned to Jerusalem, visiting the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial.
And in a speech later at the Israel Museum, he reaffirmed that his administration would always stand with Israel.
But he said his trip was focused on bringing nations together, adding that the Palestinians were ready to reach for peace.
No simple deal: Analysis by Jeremy Bowen, BBC Middle East editor
President Trump sees himself as a great dealmaker, with the personality to cut through the difficulties that have defeated lesser people. The only credible ideas still require the creation of a sovereign Palestinian state alongside Israel. The reality is that the Israelis and Palestinians are way apart on the main issues - the future of east Jerusalem, the fate of Palestinian refugees and the borders of an independent Palestine. The two sets of leaders also do not trust each other.
The West Bank, including East Jerusalem, has been occupied by Israel for 50 years. Some of the most influential members of the Israeli government believe the land is a Jewish possession, given by God.
The Palestinians are deeply divided, with Fatah in charge in the West Bank and in Gaza the Islamists of Hamas, who have been condemned by President Trump in the last few days as terrorists.
