The soon-to-be-revealed Middle East “Deal of the Century” will be one that “won’t disappoint my father-in-law,” said senior White House adviser Jared Kusher, who spoke Thursday night in a conversation about the plan at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
Kushner, married to President Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka, has been present for major Middle East policy decisions, including moving the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and the U.S. recognition of Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights. And from the start, he has been a central player in the development of the so-called “Deal of the Century” — the newest Israel-Palestinian Authority peace plan, set to be rolled out after the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, which comes to a close on June 5.
Kushner said that he was given the assignment of trying to “find a solution between the two sides,” and that he and the rest of the peace plan team had “put forward . . . a framework that I think is realistic.” Ultimately, he said, the plan is one that he believes will “lead to both sides being much better off.” And that, he said, is something that the president cares about, a lot – which is important when you have to please a boss who “doesn’t like losers,” as his interviewer pointed out, and “really likes to win.”
Calling it an “outline for what can be done to help these people start living a better life,” Kushner said the plan is very different from those that have been tried before. It does make suggestions on borders and other final status issues, he acknowledged, and in addition to that political component, has an economic element that addresses ways to strengthen and improve life for those living in the Palestinian Authority.
But it’s not an effort to impose U.S. will on anyone, he added, underlining that it would be equally beneficial to both Israel and the Palestinian Authority, and would threaten neither party.
“We want the Palestinian people’s lives to be better and Israel’s security to be stronger,” Kushner said. “Those involved will have to give a little to get a lot more.”