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CIA chief meets with Senior Palestinian officials in Ramallah

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The new Director of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) met Palestinian officials in Ramallah yesterday.

Mike Pompeo had discussions with a group of senior figures, including President Mahmoud Abbas and General Intelligence Chief Majed Faraj. Palestinian security officials said they addressed “political and security issues in addition to the future of the peace process.”

According to Yediot Ahronot and Israel Radio the conversation between Abbas and Pompeo was the second such meeting to have taken place in recent weeks. The first one happened at the start of February.

A Palestinian Authority source told Haaretz that the meeting with the CIA chief was coordinated last week during meetings between the head of PA intelligence and US intelligence officials.

The first meeting between a top Palestinian official and US administration officials took place last week when Faraj met with US security officials in Washington DC.

The Palestinians have been attempting to open up a line of communication with the Trump administration since his election.

Pompeo visited the wider region last week on his first overseas trip since being confirmed in his role on 23 January, which included stops in Saudi Arabia and Turkey.