Trump's first trip to Middle East includes stop in West Bank

WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump will meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Bethlehem, West Bank next week during his trip to the Middle East, a senior US official said on Tuesday.

The meeting will come after Trump's meeting with Israeli leaders in Jerusalem and will convey his administration's eagerness to facilitate an agreement that ends the conflict, said Trump's national security adviser H.R. McMaster here at a White House briefing.

The White House said early last week that Trump will express his support for Palestinian self-determination.

However, it remains unknown whether Trump will publicly express his support for a two-state solution, a longstanding US stance on the issue.

Before Trump's trip to Israel and the West Bank, he will visit Saudi Arabia, where he and Saudi leaders will sign several agreements "that will solidify US-Saudi security and economic cooperation," said McMaster.

Also in Saudi, Trump will address leaders from over 50 Muslim countries in a speech "on the need to confront radical ideology and his hope for a peaceful vision of Islam to dominate across the world," McMaster added.