Trump did not publicly press Abbas to end financial payments to the families of suicide bombers and to other Palestinians who attack Israelis and Americans, a practice that Israel and its supporters say amounts to subsidizing terrorism. Turning to Abbas, he added, "and I think you feel the same way".
Following Trump, Abbas said in remarks translated from Arabic that the Palestinian leadership's "strategic option" is to pursue a two-state solution for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state along the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Israel has been skeptical of a UN-promoted solution that would allow for peaceful co-existence of an Israeli and a Palestinian states.
Abbas praised Trump, saying they could be "true partners" in bringing about an "historic peace treaty".
Abbas also called for a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital - a day after Vice President Mike Pence said that the USA was giving serious consideration to recognizing Jerusalem, not Tel Aviv, as the capital of Israel.
The US president greeted Abbas on the White House lawn, barely two and a half months after having received Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Trump welcomed Abbas to the White House and recommitted himself to peace in the region where the top priority for him right now is defeat of the Islamic State.
The action would be seen as provocative because the city, claimed by both sides, had always been considered an issue for peace negotiations.
N. Korea Belatedly Covers Election of Pres. Moon Jae
The South Korean leader was referring to the nuclear cooperation agreement between Washington and Seoul , signed in June 2015. It's not unusual for Pyongyang to condemn moves to censure it by Washington, but a direct protest to Congress would be rare.
At an event in the Roosevelt Room, Trump said he was calling on Congress to work with the administration to extend school choice "to millions more children all across the United States of America", including low-income Hispanic and African-American children.
Trump said he believes Israelis and Palestinians are both willing to make a peace deal, adding that he does not think it will be as hard as people thought. Abbas complimented Trump's negotiating skills and said he finally saw a path forward.
Mr Abbas said "it's about time for Israel to end its occupation of our people and our land" - a reference to Jewish settlement building in the West Bank.
"Mr. President, with you we have hope", Mr. Abbas said.
"There could be no lasting peace unless the Palestinian leaders speak in a unified voice against incitement to violence and hate".
Trump urged Netanyahu to "hold back on settlements for a little bit", and while he said he'd "love" to see the USA embassy move to Jerusalem, he offered no indication it would happen soon.
Israeli leaders are also waiting for further details from Trump, including whether he will go ahead with his promise to move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a move that would amount to tacit acceptance of Israeli sovereignty over the entire city.
Abbas also called on Israel to withdraw from the Palestinian territories.
Comments