Trump and Abbas in Bethlehem
Trump and Abbas in BethlehemREUTERS

Chief Foreign Envoy Oded Revivi of the Council of Judea and Samaria praised US President Trump’s statements in Bethlehem, noting that “the two-state solution” was not even mentioned by Trump, even though it and its companion concept of “Israeli occupation” had been extensively referenced by PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas minutes before.

"The president didn't mention two-states in his Bethlehem statements, just peace,” said Revivi, who also serves as the Mayor of the city of Efrat.

“We hope this means that we have moved on from this failed policy and will now work together to build true and lasting peace from the ground-up."

In his remarks, Trump said that he was “committed to trying to achieve a peace agreement between the Israelis and the Palestinians,” but emphasized that such an agreement could only be achieved when terrorism and violence were not encouraged.

"Peace can never take root in a place where violence is tolerated, funded, and even rewarded,” said President Trump, in a not-so-subtle call to the PA, which systematically incites terror against Israelis, names streets and schools for them and pays salaries to imprisoned terrorists and their families on a sliding scale - the bloodier the offense, the higher the payments.