After leading the US delegation to the UAE, the senior adviser to the US president met with the Saudi official • The two discussed the importance of achieving peace in the Middle East • "It is important that Israelis and Palestinians achieve a just and lasting peace"
Kushner and Ben Salman, in Saudi Arabia, discussed the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations yesterday
Photo:
Reuters
Jared Kushner, senior adviser and son-in-law of US President Donald Trump, met yesterday (Tuesday) with Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman, the Saudi news agency Spa reported.
Before arriving in Saudi Arabia, he visited Bahrain, where he met with King Hamad ibn al-Khalifa.
According to the agency, both sides discussed the potential for peace in the Middle East and the importance of continuing negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians so that the question "will achieve a just and lasting peace."
At the meeting, which was attended by Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud, who said two weeks ago that his country "remains committed to the Arab peace initiative" and that after an agreement is reached between Israelis and Palestinians "anything is possible", the two also discussed ways to strengthen US cooperation. In Saudi Arabia on a variety of issues, "especially in a way that will achieve security and stability in the region, which will ensure the strengthening of world peace and security."
The second day to visit: "Israel Today" emissary in a special report from the United Arab Emirates // Photo: Ariel Kahana
In an interview with the UAM news agency WAM yesterday, Kushner said that "it is possible and logical that one day all 22 Arab countries will normalize their relations with Israel."
He said a fourth Arab state - after Egypt, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates - is expected to normalize relations with Israel within months.
"Many people are jealous of the move made by the UAE," he said.
"Many want access to Israeli technology, economy and progress. Israel is another 'Silicon Valley' for the Middle East. This is the beginning of something really exciting, and I hope more and more countries will take such a step, since being isolated is not helpful to anyone."
The meeting took place after Kushner led the US delegation that flew from Israel to the United Arab Emirates this week to discuss various issues as part of the normalization agreement between the two countries.
The agreement is not an obvious move by the Emirates, as heir to the throne Muhammad bin Zayed took a bold step in it because he made a real political choice because the agreement between the parties was set behind the backs of the Saudis, Ben Zayed's allies who cooperate on many issues with Ben Salman.
Following the publication of the agreement between Israel and the Emirates, Kushner said that "normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia is inevitable."
At this point, however, Riyadh still prefers that its tango with Israel be conducted very far from the spotlight, even though relations between the two countries are getting tighter and tighter as the Iranian danger grows.
Intelligence Minister Eli Cohen recently estimated that Saudi Arabia would be the last country in the region to reveal its relations with Israel, with Bahrain, Oman, Sudan and Morocco exposed before it.
Participated in the preparation of the article: Dean Shmuel Elmas.