Trump very committed to Mideast peace says Jared in Isarel

President Donald Trump remains ‘very committed’ to achieving Israeli-Palestinian peace, his son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner, told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the start of talks on Thursday.

But there was little to suggest any breakthrough or significant progress towards ending a decades-old conflict is imminent as Kushner began a day of separate meetings with Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Palestinians were still seeking a pledge of support from the Trump administration for the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel – the foundation of U.S. Middle East policy for the past two decades. The last round of peace talks between the two sides collapsed in 2014.

For his part, Netanyahu faces pressure from right-wing coalition partners not to give ground on Jewish settlement building in occupied territory that Palestinians seek for a independent state. The settlement issue contributed to the breakdown of negotiations three years ago.

President Donald Trump remains ‘very committed’ to achieving Israeli-Palestinian peace, his son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner, told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the start of talks on Thursday

Kushner, center left, the Deputy National Security Advisor Dina Powell, center right, the President's Special Representative Jason Greenblatt, second from left, and U.S. Ambassador David M. Friedman, second from right, met today with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv

Kushner, center left, the Deputy National Security Advisor Dina Powell, center right, the President’s Special Representative Jason Greenblatt, second from left, and U.S. Ambassador David M. Friedman, second from right, met today with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv

'We have things to talk about - how to advance peace, stability and security in our region, prosperity too. And I think that all of them are within our reach,' Netanyahu, welcoming Kushner to his Tel Aviv office, said in a video clip released by the U.S. Embassy

‘We have things to talk about – how to advance peace, stability and security in our region, prosperity too. And I think that all of them are within our reach,’ Netanyahu, welcoming Kushner to his Tel Aviv office, said in a video clip released by the U.S. Embassy

‘We have things to talk about – how to advance peace, stability and security in our region, prosperity too. And I think that all of them are within our reach,’ Netanyahu, welcoming Kushner to his Tel Aviv office, said in a video clip released by the U.S. Embassy.

Kushner, a 36-year-old real estate developer with little experience of international diplomacy or political negotiation, arrived in Israel with U.S. Middle East envoy Jason Greenblatt on Wednesday after meeting Arab leaders in the Gulf, Egypt and Jordan.

‘The president is very committed to achieving a solution here that will be able to bring prosperity and peace to all people in this area,’ Kushner, who was tasked by Trump to help broker a peace deal, said in his response to Netanyahu.

Trump has described peace between Israelis and Palestinians as ‘the ultimate deal’ – and added a new wrinkle last February by saying he was not fixed on two states co-existing side by side as a solution to their dispute.

In the West Bank, Nabil Abu Rdainah, a spokesman for Abbas, said Kushner’s visit – he last travelled to Israel and the Palestinian territories in June – could prove significant, particularly because of the envoy’s consultations with regional allies this week.

‘This may create a new chance to reach a settlement based on the two-state solution and the Arab initiative and stop the current deterioration of the peace process.’

Kushner and Netanyahu are seen together in Jerusalem in June during the last round of talks

Kushner and Netanyahu are seen together in Jerusalem in June during the last round of talks

Netanyahu faces pressure from right-wing coalition partners not to give ground on Jewish settlement building in occupied territory that Palestinians seek for a independent state. The settlement issue contributed to the breakdown of negotiations three years ago

Netanyahu faces pressure from right-wing coalition partners not to give ground on Jewish settlement building in occupied territory that Palestinians seek for a independent state. The settlement issue contributed to the breakdown of negotiations three years ago

Abu Rdainah was referring to a 2002 Arab League initiative that offers Israel diplomatic recognition from Arab countries in return for a statehood deal with the Palestinians and a full Israeli withdrawal from territory captured in a 1967 war.

Netanyahu has expressed tentative support for parts of the blueprint, but there are many caveats on the Israeli side, including how to resolve the complex Palestinian refugee issue.

Painting a pessimistic picture, Mahmoud al-Aloul, the second-ranking official in Abbas’ Fatah movement, accused U.S. negotiators of focusing in their talks with the president on ‘Israeli lies’ about Palestinian incitement to violence and ignoring what he described as fundamental statehood issues.

‘I do not think the American envoys are coming carrying anything – nothing at all,’ he told reporters.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (C), US presidential adviser Jared Kushner (L), and Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry pose for a picture at the Egyptian Presidential Palace in Cairo, Egypt Wednesday. A day earlier news reports stated that the US withheld 96 million US dollars from its military aid to Egypt

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (C), US presidential adviser Jared Kushner (L), and Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry pose for a picture at the Egyptian Presidential Palace in Cairo, Egypt Wednesday. A day earlier news reports stated that the US withheld 96 million US dollars from its military aid to Egypt

Kushner met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Wednesday in Cairo after the United States decided to withhold millions of dollars in aid from the country over human rights concerns.

Two U.S. sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday that Washington had decided to deny Egypt $95.7 million in aid and to delay a further $195 million because it had failed to make progress in that issue area and democracy.

Kushner’s visit, part of a wider Middle East trip, had been scheduled before the U.S. aid decision was announced and had been billed as an opportunity for discussing the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians.

The president’s son-in-law met Sisi with Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry present, Sisi’s office said in a statement, responding to previous reports that Shoukry had canceled a meeting with Kushner over the blow.

He later had a separate meeting with Shoukry, the foreign ministry said.

Neither the presidency nor the foreign ministry mentioned the aid issue in statements released after the meetings, though the foreign ministry had earlier criticized the decision, saying it would have an impact on achieving common goals.

 

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