Abbas says ready to meet Netanyahu for Trump peace efforts

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced Tuesday he is ready to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu under the U.S. sponsorship for peace making.

Abbas made the remarks in a joint news conference with his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

Abbas told reporters he reiterated to U.S. President Donald Trump during their last week's meeting in Washington his readiness to cooperate and meet with Netanyahu under Trump's sponsorship for peace making.

Trump is expected to visit Israel later this month and Abbas said he "accepted our invitation and we are looking forward to meeting him soon in Bethlehem,"in the occupied West Bank.

The Palestinian President also said "I expressed to President Trump our commitment to jointly working in the frame of a full partnership to fight terrorism and extremism in our region and in the world."

On May 3, Abbas met with Trump at White House and expressed his optimism to the possibility of Trump's success to reach a historic peace treaty between Israel and the Palestinians.

Last direct U.S. sponsored peace talks between Palestine and Israel stopped in April 2014, after nine months without reaching any breakthrough due to deep differences on the issue of settlements.

For his part, Steinmeier expressed satisfaction that the American side contacted both Israel and the Palestinians, which he hoped that will lead to the renewal of their meetings for making peace.

"There is no solution for both sides to negotiate on except the solution of the two states," said Steinmeier, hoping that all parties would work together to succeed it.

He added that Germany will continue its efforts to build the Palestinian state and improve the living condition of the Palestinian people. Endit