RAMALLAH, West Bank — Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas said his first meeting with President Trump left him hopeful, but he did not appear to have come away with any achievements that move the needle on Israeli-Palestinian peace.

Abbas said he believes the Trump administration can play an important role as a mediator, and the US president indeed restated his ambition to facilitate the deal that has eluded negotiators for over two decades.

But he also said outsiders cannot impose terms on the parties — which some see as a coded warning that there are limits to the US willingness to invest political capital. Some peace proponents on both sides have concluded that only massive international, regional, or American pressure might break the impasse.

Abbas also does not appear to have secured US backing for pressure on Israel to end settlement construction in the lands the Palestinians claim for a future state, a major goal for the embattled Palestinian leader.

Still, the very fact that the meeting was held was an improvement for Abbas over the early weeks of the Trump administration, when the Palestinians felt ignored.

Trump struck an optimistic note Wednesday, saying he believes an Israeli-Palestinian deal can be reached.

Associated Press