The Trump administration announced on Thursday that the president will take time to speak with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the sidelines at the U.N. General Assembly meeting next week in New York.
The scheduled discussion comes in the midst of tensions between Israel and Russia over the downing of a Russian plane by Syria, an attack that was initially blamed on Israel.
Not included is Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas.
“I’m not aware of any meetings taking place,” State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said at Thursday’s press briefing in Foggy Bottom.
Relations with the P.A. leadership have become especially chilly in the aftermath of the administration defunding U.S. aid for the P.A. and UNRWA, in addition to closing the Washington office of the Palestine Liberation Organization.