President Donald Trump says he is not sure that Israel is interested in making peace with the Palestinians.

In an interview published Sunday in the Israel Hayom daily, Trump is quoted as saying the Palestinians "are not looking to make peace." But he also questions Israel's interest in striking a deal, saying "I am not necessarily sure that Israel is looking to make peace." He says Jewish West Bank settlements "very much complicate" peacemaking.

The president spoke to a paper owned by American billionaire Sheldon Adelson, a Trump backer and staunch Israel supporter.

Trump's approach toward Israel has appeared to be more lenient than with the Palestinians, with whom he has tangled publicly since his recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital last year.