U.S. President Donald Trump will speak on the phone with Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman Mahmoud Abbas for the first time on Friday, the White House said on Thursday night.
The phone call will take place at 12:15 p.m. EST (7:15 p.m. Israel time), according to the announcement.
It will be the first conversation between the two leaders since Trump took office in January.
The announcement of the conversation came following a report that Jason Greenblatt, Trump’s special representative for international negotiations focusing on the Arab-Israeli conflict, will visit Israel next week.
Channel 2 News reported that Greenblatt’s visit aims to help determine the Trump administration’s policy on Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria.
While Greenblatt is scheduled to meet Israeli leaders during his visit, it was unclear whether he’ll also meet with PA leaders.
Trump has prioritized the issue of Israel-PA peace, naming both Greenblatt as well as his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, to be in charge of the peace process.
Trump has thus far been unclear on how he sees the solution to the conflict. At his recent meeting in Washington with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Trump would not commit to the two-state solution as the only way to solve the conflict, saying he would back whatever solution the sides decide on.
"I'm looking at two-state and one-state, and I like the one that both parties like,” said Trump. “I'm very happy with the one that both parties like. I can live with either one."
Trump then told Reuters in an interview he likes the concept of a two-state solution, but reiterated he would be “satisfied with whatever makes both parties happy.”