Ronald S. Lauder spoke with the Palestinian Authority leader for what was “a private visit at [Mahmoud] Abbas’s invitation to discuss a range of issues regarding Palestine and the Middle East.”

By JNS

World Jewish Congress president Ronald S. Lauder met with Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday, announced a Palestinian minister.

In a Twitter post, P.A. Civil Affairs Minister Hussein al-Sheikh disclosed the information, though provided no specifics.

The billionaire philanthropist and former U.S. ambassador to Austria went to the West Bank for what the WJC said was “a private visit at Abbas’s invitation to discuss a range of issues regarding Palestine and the Middle East.”

A friend of U.S. President Donald Trump, Lauder did not meet with Abbas on the Trump administration’s behalf but in a private capacity, reported Reuters, citing a source familiar with the matter.

Lauder last met with Abbas a year ago in New York.

Lauder attended the Sept. 15 White House ceremony where the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain each signed agreements to normalize ties with Israel.