U.S. President Donald Trump wants to break that pattern - but if the daylight between his meetings with Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas indicates anything, it's going to be an uphill battle.
Throughout his campaign, Trump had promised to move the USA embassy to Jerusalem and supported Israeli settlements in Palestinian territory - concepts that are both held in high regard by staunch pro-Israel groups.
"Over the course of my lifetime, I've always heard that perhaps the toughest deal to make is the deal between the Israelis and the Palestinians", he added. "We believe that we are capable and able to bring about success to our efforts because, Mr President, you have the determination and you have the desire to see it become to fruition and to become successful".
The 82-year-old Abbas made the trip to Washington while politically unpopular back home, with polls suggesting most Palestinians want him to resign.
"I believe that we can be true partners to you to bring about a historic peace treaty", Abbas said.
"We need two willing parties", Mr. Trump told Mr. Abbas.
"The President of the United States, as we speak, is giving serious consideration into moving the American embassy in Tel Aviv to Jerusalem", said Pence here on Tuesday at an Israel Independence Day event. We believe you're willing.
US President Donald Trump and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas met for the first time, expressing optimism about rebooting peace talks between Israel and the PA, facilitated by Trump, who didn't mention the two-state solution Abbas seeks.
Barely two and a half months after having received Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the United States president greeted Abbas on the White House lawn, before ushering him into the Oval Office for their talks.
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According to former White House official Dennis Ross, Trump was helping Abbas by extending the White House invite.
Abbas also called on Israel to withdraw from the Palestinian territories.
Just over a month after Vice President Mike Pence said that President Donald Trump was considering moving the USA embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, the president has met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the White House and vowed to put an end to the Arab-Israeli conflict. "I'm looking at two-state and one-state and I like the one that both parties like", Trump said in response to a question about the two-state policy, indicating that he did not have any real preference.
Abbas promised that Palestinians are raising "our youth... on a culture of peace", and that the Holy Land will become a place "where the three monotheist religions thrive... in an environment of security, peace, and stability and love for all".
When Abbas visited the White House in March 2014, for example, then-President Barack Obama spoke of "two states, side by side" in his public remarks.
In a major departure from the longtime USA policy on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Trump said in February that he was open to either a one-state or two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Trump ignored a question from a reporter about whether he still plans to move the US embassy to Jerusalem.
"It's about time for Israel to end its occupation of our people and of our land after 50 years", Abbas said.
Israel considers such payments a reward for terrorists, while the Palestinians consider them welfare payments for victims of Israeli occupation.
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