John Kerry, the former U.S. secretary of state during Barack Obama's administration, met with an associate of Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian Authority president, and allegedly conveyed a message that President Donald Trump would not be in office for long, The Jerusalem Post reported.
Kerry reportedly told the associate, Hussein Agha, to tell Abbas "hold on and be strong." He then told Agha to tell Abbas "that he should stay strong in his spirit and play for time, that he will not break and will not yield to President Trump's demands," the report said.
Abbas should present a peace plan, Kerry said, while offering Abbas his help in advancing the process. The report said Kerry also offered to put together a peace initiative and offered to get support for it from the international community.
"Maybe it is time for the Palestinians to define their peace principles and present a positive plan," Kerry suggested, the report said.
The report said Kerry conveyed the message that he should criticize Trump, but to refrain from criticizing the U.S. or the Trump administration, the report said.
Kerry used derogatory terms when referring to the president, the report said.
The former secretary of state said he was seriously thinking about running for president in 2020, saying he was not much older than Trump and did not believe his age would be an issue, the Jerusalem Post reported.
A senior Palestinian Authority administration official confirmed to Ma'Ariv that the meeting took place, The Jerusalem Post reported.
The former secretary has been consistent in his support of Israel and is an old friend of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, The Jerusalem Post report said.
Trump's allies are attempting to link Kerry's State Department to the Christopher Steele dossier, The Washington Post reported Tuesday.
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