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Trump, Abbas vow to prove skeptics wrong on reaching peace deal

In upbeat White House visit May 3, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and US President Donald Trump expressed themselves optimistic they can reach an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal that nobody thinks they will reach.
U.S. President Donald Trump welcomes Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, U.S. May 3, 2017.  REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst - RTS14ZJL

WASHINGTON — Defying expectations when Donald Trump came into office that his administration would tilt heavily to the Israeli side, Trump hosted Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas for an upbeat visit at the White House on May 3 and declared that he did not think it would be too hard to get an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal. 

“We want to create peace between Israel and the Palestinians. We will get it done,” Trump said in brief joint remarks with Abbas in the White House Roosevelt Room. “And I think there's a very, very good chance, and I think you feel the same way.”

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