Trump on Israeli-Palestinian peace: 'I've heard it's one of the toughest deals of all'

Donald Trump, on his first presidential visit to Israel, has claimed there will be peace in the Middle East – eventually.

“I thank the prime minister for his commitment to pursuing the peace process,” Mr Trump said of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who stood next to him at a joint press conference in Jerusalem.

“He’s working very hard at it – it’s not easy,” Mr Trump continued. “I’ve heard it’s one of the toughest deals of all. But I have a feeling that we’re going to get there eventually. I hope.”

The watered-down words marked a departure from Mr Trump’s more bombastic comments during Mr Netanyahu’s visit to the White House in February.

“The United States will encourage a peace and, really, a great peace deal. We'll be working on it very, very diligently,” Mr Trump said at the time, adding that a peace agreement between the Israelis and Palestinians is “very important” to him.

Mr Trump had previously boasted that if his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, cannot achieve peace in the Middle East, “nobody can”.

But Mr Trump on Monday demurred, saying only that he looked forward to “very productive discussions”.

“During my travels I have seen many hopeful signs that lead me to believe we can truly achieve a more peaceful future in this region, and for people of all faiths and all beliefs,” Mr Trump said. He added that the US is prepared to help "in every way we can".

The comments continued Mr Trump’s more diplomatic rhetoric from the first leg of his trip, when he stopped in Saudi Arabia.

At a a speech in Riyadh on Sunday, Mr Trump refrained from using the phrase “radical Islamic terrorism,” opting for the more toned-down “Islamic extremism” and “Islamic terror of all kinds” instead.

Mr Trump repeatedly condemned Democratic leaders on the campaign trail for failing to name “radical Islamic terrorism” as a threat. But the new, less aggressive phrasing appears to be yet another way that President Trump differs from the candidate.

So far, the president has also refrained from veering off script – another habit of the campaign trail. His more diplomatic speeches and harsh criticism of Iran appear to have been well-received by his hosts in both Israel and Saudi Arabia.

“For the first time in my lifetime, I see a real hope for change,” Mr Netanyahu said.

Mr Trump heads next to the Vatican, where he will meet with the Pope.