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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he believes Israelis and Palestinians are both willing to make a peace deal, adding that he does not think it will be as difficult as people thought.

“It’s ... something that I think is frankly maybe not as difficult as people have thought over the years,” Trump said at the beginning of a lunch with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and senior U.S. and Palestinian leaders. “But we need two willing parties. We believe Israel is willing, we believe you’re willing, and if you both are willing, we’re going to make a deal.”