President Donald Trump's meeting with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas last week in Bethlehem was "uncomfortable," despite their positive press conference afterwards.
An Israeli TV station reported last week that Trump shouted at Abbas, "You tricked me in DC! You talked there about your commitment to peace, but the Israelis showed me your involvement in incitement [against Israel]," according to the Times of Israel.
Sources told London-based Qatari news site The New Arab, also known as al-Araby al-Jadid, that Abbas described his meeting with Trump as "uncomfortable" in a meeting of the Palestine Liberation Organization's executive committee.
"The strike was used to play an unpatriotic game by some member of Fatah and other groups," Abbas allegedly said. "I will not let those, inside or outside Fatah, who conspired against me to pass by."
At the time, Abbas reportedly told Trump, "You have the CIA, ask them to examine the videos and to find out how they were taken or fabricated for the purpose of incriminating Palestinians."
In their public remarks after the meeting, both presidents emphasized their commitment to reaching a peaceful agreement between Israel and Palestine.
"I'm committed to working with Israel and the Palestinians to reach an agreement," Trump said, according to the White House transcript.
"I will do whatever is necessary to facilitate the agreement," he added.
"As far as a permanent solution," Abbas said, "We believe that this is possible and able to be resolved. I am firmly believing that this is possibly — we are able to resolve it."
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