Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump Visit Israel to Celebrate Abraham Accords
© AP Photo / Pablo Martinez Monsivais
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One of Donald Trump’s biggest foreign policy achievements was brokering a deal between Israel and several Arab countries on a normalisation of ties. Both Jared Kushner, the former president’s son-in-law, and his daughter Ivanka are said to have played a key role in negotiating the agreement.
Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump have visited Israel in order to attend the inaugural meeting of the Caucus for Promoting the Abraham Accords, a panel in the Israeli parliament dedicated to the promotion of the Abraham Accords, a US-brokered deal which saw Israel normalise relations with several Arab countries.
The event was attended by many high-ranking politicians, including former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defence Minister Benny Gantz, and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid.
The event was attended by many high-ranking politicians, including former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defence Minister Benny Gantz, and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid.
“I am proud to represent today something bigger than politics - the Abraham Accords entail a real opportunity to bond people, and opens for us all a wealth of opportunities in the fields of economics, science and technology”, wrote Ruth Wasserman of the Kahol Lavan party, one of the co-leaders of the panel.
Jared Kushner, who is Jewish, thanked everyone who attended the meeting for promoting the accords. "The Middle East is changing", said the ex-senior adviser to former President Donald Trump, adding that a focus on cooperation between Israel and Arab states would make "our dream of peace come true".
Foreign Minister Yair Lapid thanked former US President Donald Trump and ex-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanuahu for their parts in the diplomatic breakthrough.
Foreign Minister Yair Lapid thanked former US President Donald Trump and ex-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanuahu for their parts in the diplomatic breakthrough.
The Abraham Accords
Since the creation of Israel in 1948 and the ensuing Arab-Israeli War, there has been an unofficial rule in the Arab world that a normalisation of ties with Israel could only occur after the Palestinians have an independent state.
The only two Arab countries that had signed peace agreements with Israel in the past were Egypt and Jordan, in 1979 and 1994 respectively. Both countries share borders with Israel and had fought wars with Tel Aviv in the past.
The only two Arab countries that had signed peace agreements with Israel in the past were Egypt and Jordan, in 1979 and 1994 respectively. Both countries share borders with Israel and had fought wars with Tel Aviv in the past.
During his presidency, Donald Trump pledged to normalise ties between Israel and the Arab World. On 13 August 2020, the Republican POTUS announced that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Israel were to normalise their relations. The deal came to be known as the Abraham Accords and was later signed by Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan.
The accord has been endorsed by Trump’s successor, Democrat Joe Biden, although Israeli media reported that some Knesset MPs were frustrated that the Biden administration is not working on expanding the agreement. Last month, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken pledged to encourage more Arab countries to normalise ties with Israel. He is set to meet with Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid in Washington next week.
The accord has been endorsed by Trump’s successor, Democrat Joe Biden, although Israeli media reported that some Knesset MPs were frustrated that the Biden administration is not working on expanding the agreement. Last month, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken pledged to encourage more Arab countries to normalise ties with Israel. He is set to meet with Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid in Washington next week.
