Trump holds talks with Palestinian leader in Bethlehem

US President Donald Trump began the second day of his visit by travelling Monday to Bethlehem outside Jerusalem to meet Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, in line with his objective to “eventually” achieve peace between Israel and the Palestinians. The meeting was set for one hour. Trump’s visit to the Church of the Nativity was called off.

A protest demonstration was staged in the town by families of convicted Palestinian terrorists who are serving sentences in Israeli jails. A group has been on hunger strike for 37 days. They hoped to impress the US President with their plight, albeit shortly after he condemned a terrorist attack in Manchester, Britain in which a suicide bomber murdered 22 young music fans at a pop concert.  As for Abbas, Israel has long demanded that the Palestinian Authority stop awarding the customary annuities to the families of terrorists.