LIVE UPDATES: Trump Asks Abbas to Resolve Issue of Payments to Kin of Terrorists in Israeli Jails

J Street president Jeremy Ben-Ami released a statement following President Trump's meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas:

"J Street is encouraged by President Trumps determination – as articulated in a joint appearance with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas – to launch a serious attempt to negotiate an end to the Israel-Palestinian conflict. However, we still await critical details about how he sees such a peace being achieved.
"It was important for the President Trump to host President Abbas at the White

House and we welcome his strong endorsement of the cooperation between Israeli and Palestinian security forces and his acknowledgement of the positive role the Palestinian security forces are playing in enhancing the prospects for peace, law, order and public safety to the benefit of both communities.

"We also applaud President Trumps commitment to look for ways to develop new economic opportunities for the Palestinians. But as President Abbas noted, real progress depends on ending the half-century-long Israeli occupation of the West Bank and paving the way for the creation of an independent Palestinian state.
"President Trump also alluded to the need to end incitement and hatred – sentiments we share.

"While President Trump says he will mediate, facilitate and arbitrate between the parties, there has to be a clear starting point and a clear goal for such negotiations—and that can only be support for the two-state solution. President Trumps continued equivocation on whether or not he supports the two-state solution undermines President Abbas viability as leader and a negotiating partner. Promoting a two-state agreement has been a bipartisan policy goal of the United States for the past 25 years and President Trump should commit himself to this principle without further delay if he is serious about pursuing peace."

White House Spokesman Sean Spicer said at his daily press briefing Wednesday that President Donald Trump and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas discussed ways to advance the peace process and steps to strengthen the Palestinian economy.

Spicer added that Trump raised with Abbas the issue of payments to families of Palestinian terrorists in Israeli jails, and asked the Palestinian leader to resolve it. (Amir Tibon)

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After Abbas spoke, Trump addressed reporters again and said: "We've spoke to Netanyahu and to many Israeli leaders, we'll start a process which hopefully will lead to peace, I've always heard that perhaps the toughest deal to make is between the Israelis and the Palestinians - let's prove them wrong." (Amir Tibon)

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At the joint press conference with Trump, President Mahmoud Abbas said that "god willing, we are coming toward a new opportunity for peace," adding that a permanent solution is possible and that the issues of refugees and Palestinians imprisoned in Israel

It's about time for Israel to end the occupation of our people and our land, Abbas said.

After Abbas spoke, Trump addressed reporters again and said: "We've spoke to Netanyahu and to many Israeli leaders, we'll start a process which hopefully will lead to peace, I've always heard that perhaps the toughest deal to make is between the Israelis and the Palestinians - let's prove them wrong." (Amir Tibon)

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Speaking in the White House, President Donald Trump said that he looked forward to having President Mahmoud Abbas return to the White House to sign a peace agreement with the Israelis."We will get it done. There's a very very good chance," Trump said.

Trump introduced his guest: "Almost 24 years ago President Abbas stood with a courageous peace maker, Yitzhak Rabin, here at the White House. President Abbas signed a declaration of principles - very important - laid the foundations for peace, first Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement. You remember that well. I want to support you in being the Palestinian leader who signs the final agreement."

"An agreement cannot be imposed by the U.S. or any other nation," Trump said. "Palestinians and Israelis must work together to reach an agreement." The U.S. president went on to say that he wants to mediate the peace agreement between the two sides. (Amir Tibon)

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President Donald Trump met Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the White House Wednesday.

Trump said hopefully something terrific will come out between Palestinians and Israel.

The Palestinians have expressed optimism ahead of the meeting. Abbas spokesman, Nabil Abu-Rudeineh, said the Palestinian president would stress the need for advancing a process based on a two-state solution and the Arab Peace Initiative, the 2002 proposal that was ratified once again at the Arab League summit in late March.

Abbas arrived in Washington on Tuesday and will stay for three days. He is also expected to meet with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, senators, congressmen and representatives of Jewish organizations.

A senior White House official told Haaretz on Tuesday night that Trump will seek Abbas' commitment to a reboot of the peace process. (Amir Tibon)

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Hamas leader Khaled Meshal implored U.S. President Donald Trump to take advantage of an "historic opportunity" to achieve peace in the Middle East in an interview with CNN released on Wednesday, ahead of a meeting between the American president and his Palestinian counterpart in Washington. (Read more here)

U.S. President Donald Trump will ask Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas at their meeting on Wednesday to stop payments to families of Palestinian killed white carrying out attacks against Israelis, a senior White House official said. (Barak Ravid)

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U.S. President Donald Trump will ask Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday to cooperate with the initiative he plans to launch in the coming months to revive the Middle East peace process that has been frozen since April 2014.

The president will seek President Abbas commitment to work with us as we try to move peace efforts forward, a senior White House official told Haaretz. (Barak Ravid, Jack Khoury, Amir Tibon)

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The Palestinians have expressed optimism on the eve of the meeting. Abbas spokesman, Nabil Abu-Rudeineh, said Abbas would stress the need for advancing a process based on a two-state solution and the Arab Peace Initiative, the 2002 proposal that was ratified once again at the Arab League summit in late March. (Jack Khoury)