US President Donald Trump has pledged that the United States will help out in peace talks between Israel and Palestine, the infamously conflicting nations. Trump wants to be the one to broker a peace deal between the two countries, which would really look great on his legacy in the history books if he can pull it off (if he can’t, then it won’t look so great).
‘We will get it done’
Trump invited Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas over to the White House where Abbas was met with a warm welcome and they sat down to talk about Israel. Trump has a good relationship with Israel and with the Jews and with Benjamin Netanyahu, dating back to his election campaign when he promised to help them out, and now he’s making good on that promise by speaking to Palestine about a possible peace deal.
During their conversation, Trump promised Abbas, “We will get it done.” Attempts at a peace deal between Israel and Palestine have failed miserably in the past, time and time again, but Trump aims to settle the conflict, which dates back tens of years, once and for all. Trump said that from what he’s been told over the years, a peace deal “between the Israelis and the Palestinians” is quite possibly “the toughest deal to make.”
So, Donald Trump, author of “The Art of the Deal,” is looking to “prove them wrong” and make such a deal. It seems more Trump’s style not to “prove them wrong,” but rather to prove them right. Look at me, they said it was the hardest deal in the world to make and I went and made it, aren’t I great?
kind of thing. He insisted that against all odds, America, working in cooperation with Israel and Palestine, “will get it done,” meaning get Israel and Palestine working in cooperation with each other.
Abbas had to speak through a translator at the meeting
Abbas, himself not an English speaker, had to speak to Trump via a translator.
It seemed as though Abbas shared Trump’s whimsical, upbeat demeanour, although this could’ve been entirely down to how the translator was acting or feeling that day. Abbas told Trump that he thinks that he and his people over in Palestine will be able to be “true partners” to him in the process of bringing forth “a historic peace under (Trump’s) stewardship.” Good news or what, right?
It’s been just over two months since Trump had Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, over at the White House, and now he’s got Abbas over. It’s a crazy timetable – he’s not wasting any time getting these guys back together. The President came out to meet Abbas on the lawn of the White House before taking him into the Oval Office to have a chat about Israel.
Trump’s relationship with Palestine wasn’t always this peachy
Presidents of the United States have tried to bring about peace between Israel and Palestine since the 1970s, and all have failed. It is a long shot, to be fair. They really, really hate each other. But Trump thinks he’ll be the one to do it – he’s determined – despite the fact it didn’t get off to a great start back in the early days of his Presidency.
You see, back then, Trump relinquished support for Palestine and pledged to move the US embassy to Jerusalem, which would violate two doctrines of US foreign policy that had been in place for a very long time. He didn’t care. But now he’s definitely changed his tune and he’s been getting pally with Abbas and promising a peace deal.
In fact, Trump may be being nice to Abbas, but he still hasn’t changed his intentions with the embassy. According to his Vice President, Mike Pence, the President is still “giving serious consideration” to the idea of relocating the US embassy in the area from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. That certainly won’t gel with Abbas if it goes forward, so we’ll just have to see how this develops.
