On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed optimism during a bilateral meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as they discussed a potential peace deal between Israel and Palestine.
"I think there's a good chance it could happen," Trump said during the meeting, which is part of the United Nations General Assembly's opening week.
Peace between Israel and Palestine has been on the checklist of successive American presidents for four decades, according to CNBC.
So, Trump's peacemaker act isn't something new. But, he believes it will finally happen.
"Most people would say there is no chance whatsoever, but I actually think with the capability of Bibi and frankly the other side, I really think we have a chance," Trump said, calling Netanyahu by his nickname.
"I think Israel would like to see it, and I think the Palestinians would like to see it. So we’re working very hard on it; we’ll see what happens. Historically, people say it can’t happen. I say it can happen," he added.
Trump is scheduled to meet with Palestine's President Mahmoud Abbas later this week.
Prior to the meeting, Trump tweeted even more optimistic thoughts:
People on Twitter soon began to comment ... and jokes dominated the conversation
Leo The Lion presents ... Trump's Attempt At Peace
Speaking of peace ... Double standards much Mr. Trump?
Sarcasm overload
Maybe Trump should set his priorities straight?
Angry comments ensued, mocking Trump's geography skills
History repeating itself?
Others voluntarily offered candid advice
Truth wins!
Because this is the kind of logic Trump is following
Trump and Netanyahu dedicated an "equitable" amount of time to peace process discussions, according to The New York Times. However, much of the conversation centered around the Iran nuclear deal.
The U.S. and Iran have been accusing each other of violating the deal in recent days. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said America will pay a "high cost" if Trump gives into his threats on ending the nuclear deal.
Throughout his presidential campaign, Trump has been a vocal critic of the landmark nuclear deal, seen as a key achievement of his predecessor Barack Obama.
The deal, which was made through the joint efforts of numerous world powers, aims to limit Iran's nuclear capabilities in exchange for lifting international economic sanctions against the country.
Trump previously called the agreement "the worst deal ever negotiated." He said it would be a top priority to dismantle it once he took office.