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Abbas Concedes Trump Shouted At Him During Meeting

JERUSALEM (JTA) — Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has appeared to confirm an Israeli report that U.S. President Donald Trump shouted at him during their meeting last month in Bethlehem.

The London-based pan-Arab newspaper Al Araby, or The New Arab, which has editions in both Arabic and English, reported on Wednesday that Abbas acknowledged the previous day during a meeting of the Palestine Liberation Organization’s executive committee that his meeting with Trump was “uncomfortable,” citing unnamed sources present at the meeting.

The sources told Al Araby that Trump showed video clips, which the Palestinians claim had been taken out of context, of Abbas admitting to inciting against Israel. “We incite and the Israelis incite,” he reportedly said.

“You have the CIA, ask them to examine the videos and to find out how they were taken or fabricated for the purpose of incriminating Palestinians,” Abbas reportedly told Trump.

The original report earlier this week by Israel’s Channel 2 reported that Trump accused him of being involved in promoting incitement against Israel.

“You talked there about your commitment to peace, but the Israelis showed me your involvement in incitement,” Trump reportedly yelled at Abbas.

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