Readout of Obama's Call with Mahmoud Abbas

President Obama called Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas this morning to discuss a range of issues of mutual interest. The President reaffirmed America’s commitment to Middle East Peace and to the overall objectives outlined by the Quartet. The President noted the positive efforts by King Abdullah of Jordan and his Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh to advance dialogue between the parties. The President also noted the need for all parties to reinforce the efforts that have brought an end to the recent fighting and thanked President Abbas for his contributions in that regard. The two leaders agreed on the necessity of the two-state solution, and President Obama noted that Jordan’s efforts to foster direct discussions between Israel and the Palestinians are an important contribution to the cause of peace. They also discussed the ongoing need to build trust between the parties and for all sides to refrain from provocative actions that make it more difficult to build such trust. They agreed to remain in close contact about these important issues.