Jared Kushner, White House senior adviser and United States President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, began a Middle East tour this week, including Rabat, Amman, and Jerusalem, to push for Trump’s regional peace plan, a White House official said, according to Reuters.
Kushner was accompanied by a high-profile delegation, including Middle East envoy Jason Greenblatt and US Special Representative for Iran and Kushner aide, Avi Berkowitz, the official added.
The trip aims to mobilise support for Trump’s peace plan ahead of a US-sponsored economic two-day workshop on 25-26 June in Manama, Bahrain. Later after his Mideast trip, Kushner will head to Switzerland then London where he will meet Trump who will be on an official visit to the United Kingdom.
Nearly a week ago, Trump and Kushner announced that they will unveil the details of the economic side of their Middle East peace plan which aims, they say, to end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, after more than two years of working on the agreement.
The plan is expected to encourage Arab donor countries to invest in the West Bank and Gaza strip, as a part of the plan which also includes a political side.
However, Palestinians repeatedly refused to discuss the plan with Washington, asserting at several events that they will not accept any settlement to the Palestinian-Israel conflict without a recognition of an independent state with east Jerusalem as its capital.
In recent remarks, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas denounced the peace plan or what is called the “deal of the century,” describing it as “deal of the shame.” Abbas asserted that Palestinians will eventually have the right to establish their own independent state with east Jerusalem as its capital.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Liberation Organisation on Sunday called on the world to boycott the Manama workshop, urging the Arab countries which will take part in the event to reconsider their decisions.
Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the UAE announced that they will participate in the workshop.
This February, Kushner also reportedly visited four Gulf states, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, and the UAE to promote Trump’s plan.
