The Heat: Palestine-US relations

The Heat

President Donald Trump shakes hands with with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas during their meeting in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, May 3, 2017, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Negotiations between the Palestinians and Israel took a back seat for most of the past decade – in part due to the war against Islamic State, the conflict in Syria and concerns over Iran’s nuclear program.

But U.S. President Donald Trump came into office promising a renewed effort towards a peace deal – assigning his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, to facilitate the process. Last February, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu paid Mr. Trump a visit, followed a May 3 visit by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

For more, CGTN’s Jessica Stone reports.

To discuss the stalled peace talks between Palestine and Israel:

  • Abbas Hamideh, co-founder of Al-Awda — a global coalition of activists and students in support of Palestinian rights.
  • Aaron Magid, Washington correspondent for Jewish Insider.
  • Professor Chuck Freilich, former Israeli deputy national security adviser. He’s currently a Senior Fellow at Harvard University’s Belfer Center and Kennedy School of Government.
  • Khalil Jahshan, executive director of the Arab Center Washington DC.