White House chief adviser Jared Kushner says he will join an Israeli delegation on the first direct flight to Morocco
JERUSALEM – White House senior adviser Jared Kushner announced Monday that he will join an Israeli delegation on the first direct flight to Morocco to celebrate the US-mediated agreement between the two countries in the Middle East.
The flight, which is scheduled to depart on Tuesday, marks the fourth diplomatic pact mediated by the Trump administration between Israel and an Arab country. The agreements, known as the “Abraham Accords,” reshaped the Middle East, reflecting a common concern between many Arab countries and Israel over Iran and a deviation from the traditional focus on the Palestinian struggle for independence.
At a news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Kushner said the agreements reflected “common sense” and the administration’s new approach to the Middle East.
“The results are really important, and I think we’ve achieved historic results together,” said Kushner, who is President Donald Trump’s son-in-law.
“As this new Middle East progresses, I hope that all countries will focus on pursuing common interests for the benefit of their citizens, rather than being hampered by outdated thinking and old conflicts,” he added.
Since August, the United States has brokered agreements to establish diplomatic ties between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco.
Netanyahu praised Kushner for showing “how wrong these nayayers were” and said Israel was “deeply indebted” to the Trump administration.
The agreements have been criticized, both for including generous sales of American weapons to Arab countries and for eliminating the Palestinian problem.
Palestinians severed ties with the US after Trump recognized the disputed city of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in late 2017. Palestinians rejected Trump’s plan for the Middle East earlier this year, paving the way for the US to focus on separate agreements of Israel with the Arab countries.
Netanyahu, who enjoyed a close relationship with Trump, offered Kushner a plaque of appreciation. Earlier Monday, he joined Kushner at a tree planting at the new “Kushner Peace Garden” in a forest in Jerusalem.