July 24, 2024
Former US President Donald Trump shared a letter from Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on his social media platform, Truth Social. The letter suggests Abbas wants to mend relations with Trump, seven years after Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and moved the US Embassy there in 2017.
Trump’s decision to publish the letter indicates his continued ambition to achieve peace between Israel and the Palestinians. This sets the stage for his upcoming meeting with Netanyahu, focusing on peace amid the war in Gaza.
Abbas sent the letter to Trump on July 14, expressing concern about the assassination attempt on Trump. “There should be no place for acts of violence in a world of law and order,” Abbas wrote. Trump replied with a handwritten note, “Mahmoud, so nice. Thank you. Everything will be good, best wishes. Donald Trump.”
This is the first communication between Abbas and Trump since December 2017. Trump praised Abbas, saying, “I thought he was great. He wanted to make a deal more than Netanyahu.”
In January 2020, Trump proposed a two-state peace plan, which Abbas rejected. Abbas has since criticized Biden for not presenting his own peace plan.
A former senior Trump administration official highlighted Trump’s support for Israel, citing his recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, the US Embassy move, ending funding to UNRWA, the Abraham Accords, recognizing the Golan Heights as part of Israel, and his efforts to combat anti-Semitism.
Trump, in his post with Abbas’s letter, confirmed his upcoming meeting with Netanyahu. “Looking forward to seeing [Benjamin] Netanyahu on Friday, and even more forward to achieving Peace in the Middle East! DJT,” Trump wrote.
