(Press) Pool was present for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas getting into his car, leaving the White House. Per the White House, the Abbas-Obama meeting started relatively on time. They walked out to where the cars were at 2:59. So, it seems the meeting ran a bit late.
President Barack Obama, Abbas walked down, out of the Oval, chatting. They finally parted, shaking hands and smiling. Both wearing dark suits. Walking alone, without interpreters.
As Obama was seeing Abbas get in the car, a couple of questions were shouted out:
Why does he think he'll succeed where others have failed? Obama said he'd make a statement from the Rose Garden shortly.
How did the meeting go? "we're making progress" is what I think I heard. He was speaking pretty softly.
Members of Abbas' delegation were filing into the cars late (one got in the car with Abbas) and the other almost missed getting into the car ahead of Abbas', which made Obama laugh.
Sorry, no real news here. Saving it all for later this evening.
The Obama-Abbas photo op, followed their bilat in the Oval. The meeting followed the bilateral between Obama and Israeli PM Netanyahu, where the two leaders condemned Hamas' attacks that killed 4 Israeli settlers. Obama said after that earlier meeting that Abbas also condemned those attacks.
Yasmeen Alamiri
Saudi Press Agency
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