BICOM

Jared Kushner addressed the 14^th Annual Saban Forum at the Brookings Institution over the weekend in what were his first-ever public remarks on the Middle East peace process.

During his 30 minute conversation with Haim Saban, Kushner said that the Trump administration believes an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal is “achievable”.

“When we started the process of looking at how to create the peace deal, the first thing a lot of people told us was that it wasn’t the right time, that we’re wasting our time. I think that if we’re going to try and create more stability in the region as a whole, this issue has to be solved,” said Kushner, who is US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser on Middle East peace.

Kushner argued that resolving the conflict would help stability in the region and Israel’s ties with the wider Arab world, adding that “a lot of countries in the Middle East want the same thing – economic progress, peace for their people. Many countries in the region see Israel as a much more likely ally than it was 20 years ago because of Iran, because of ISIS, because of extremism…A lot of people want to see it put together, but we have to overcome this Israeli-Palestinian issue in order for this to happen”.

He added that both sides do “trust the President, and that’s very important… [We] understand what their views and red lines are. We’ve done the same with different countries in the region. We’re trying to find a solution that comes from the region, not to impose”.

Discussing reports that President Trump will announce plans to move the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem this week, Kushner said: “The President will make his decision; he’s still looking at a lot of different facts. He’ll make sure he does that at the right time.”

Yesterday Channel 2 News reported that US government officials visited the “Diplomat” Hotel in the Arnona neighbourhood of Jerusalem, often touted as a potential site of a future American embassy. It was reported that several request to changes to the hotel were sent to planning officials in the Jerusalem municipality, including fortified rooms, escape routes, new entrances and exits and an electronic fence.

PLO Executive Committee Secretary General Saeb Erekat told Saudi-owned Al-Hadath: “The United States doesn’t have the right to determine other countries’ capitals. Washington’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel is a very dangerous thing that will result in the derailment of the entire situation.”

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh reportedly called PA President Mahmoud Abbas to discuss Trump possibly recognising Jerusalem as Israel’s capital with the two agreeing on the necessity of masses of people taking to the streets on Wednesday.