Carter has become one of the most prominent critics of Israel, notably after calling last summer’s war on Gaza illegitimate.

Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter is to meet Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank on Saturday.

Carter will then address a news conference in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem, according to Agence France-Presse.

The former president was scheduled to arrive on April 30 in Gaza to meet with Hamas leaders, and then with Abbas to help mediate between the two factions’ stalled national reconciliation, but the trip had been cancelled last week.

The trip to the region initially was meant to include visits to both Israel, Gaza and the West Bank but on April 20, President Reuven Rivlin said he would refuse to meet with Carter due to his stances seen as “anti-Israel.”

In recent years, Carter has become one of the most prominent critics of Israel, notably after calling last summer’s war on Gaza illegitimate.

He has also slammed U.S. administrations for failing to seal an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal and has urged the West to engage Hamas in diplomatic negotiations.

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