U.S. envoy peace push met with skepticism
RAMALLAH, West Bank — Presidential adviser Jared Kushner met with Israeli and Palestinian leaders on Thursday to try to jump-start moribund peace talks, but after months without progress the Mideast envoy faces growing skepticism on the Palestinian side.
With no clear vision for peace outlined by the administration and domestic issues distracting President Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, expectations for the new peace push are low.
The Palestinians initially welcomed Trump’s election, but they have since grown impatient with what they say is a failure by the U.S. president to present a road map for peace. Specifically, they are seeking a halt to Israeli settlement construction on occupied lands, and an American commitment to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state as part of a peace deal with Israel.
“If the U.S. team doesn’t bring answers to our questions this time, we are going to look into our options because the status quo is not working for our interests,” said Ahmad Majdalani, an aide to Abbas.
It was not clear whether Kushner offered any clarity during his three-hour meeting with Abbas. Nabil Abu Rdeneh, Abbas’ spokesman, called the meeting “positive,” without discussing details, and said the Palestinian leader had reiterated his desire for an American commitment to a Palestinian state.
“We greatly appreciate the efforts of U.S. President Donald Trump who pledged from the beginning that he is going to work for the ultimate deal,” Abbas said ahead of the meeting. “We know things are difficult and complicated, but nothing is impossible with good intentions.”
Trump took office with hopes of striking what he calls the “ultimate deal” between Israelis and Palestinians — a goal that has eluded administrations before his dogged by the same intractable issues. But he has since given few details of his vision for peace, managing to frustrate both sides.
Kushner, Trump’s chief Middle East adviser and his son-in-law, met Netanyahu in Tel Aviv earlier Thursday before traveling to Ramallah later in the day to meet with Abbas. Kushner is expected to return to the U.S. on Friday.
Before his meeting with Kushner, Netanyahu spoke optimistically of the road ahead.
“We have a lot of things to talk about, how to advance peace, stability and security in our region, prosperity too,” Netanyahu said, standing alongside Kushner. “I think that all of them are within our reach.”
On the campaign trail, Trump took a staunchly pro-Israel line, energizing Netanyahu and hard-liners in his coalition. He promised to relocate the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem — a move welcomed by Israel and opposed by the Palestinians — and refused to endorse the Palestinian goal of independence. His platform played down the significance of Israeli settlements and he surrounded himself with a group of advisers with deep ties to the settlement movement, including Kushner and the U.S. ambassador to Israel, David Friedman.
But since taking office, Trump decided not to move the embassy and has urged Israel to restrain settlement construction.
He has not come out in support of the two-state solution, a position backed by most of the international community and also his Republican and Democratic predecessors, indicating vaguely that he supports whichever solution the sides agree to.
Disappointed Palestinian officials privately gripe that Trump’s team has begun to support Israeli positions and ignore their concerns.