“There may be no solution” to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Kushner said in a leaked conversation, after studying the issues in depth.
Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s special adviser and son-in-law, spoke to interns as part of the Congressional Intern Lecture Series on Monday, during which he said that there is probably no diplomatic solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict.
Kushner’s event with the interns was closed to the media. However, a leaked recording of the conversation reveals that he questioned whether the US could offer any “unique” solution.
In the off-the-record discussion, he offered a glimpse into his efforts to solve the Middle East conflict.
“This is one of the ones I was asked to take on, and I did with this something that I do with every problem set you get, which is you try to study the historical context to understand how something got to where it is, who was successful, and who wasn’t successful,” Kushner said.
“What I’ve determined from looking at it is that not a whole lot has been accomplished over the last 40 or 50 years we’ve been doing this,” he added.
After speaking at length regarding recent efforts to quell the Temple Mount crisis, he said, “So, what do we offer that’s unique? I don’t know…I’m sure everyone that’s tried this has been unique in some ways, but again we’re trying to follow very logically.”
Kushner added that the US was trying to work with the various parties in the conflict, although “there may be no solution,” Nevertheless, the Trump administration will continue to “focus on it and try to come to the right conclusion in the near future.”
‘The Toughest Deal in the World to Make’
Trump had spoken confidently of his son-in-law’s ability to make peace in the Middle East during a pre-inauguration dinner in January.
“If you can’t produce peace in the Middle East, nobody can,” Trump said, directing his remarks to his Jewish son-in-law.
“All my life I’ve been hearing that’s the toughest deal in the world to make,” the president continued. “And I’ve seen it, but I have a feeling that Jared is going to do a great job…
“Jared is such a good lad, he will secure an Israel deal which no one else has managed to get. You know, he’s a natural talent, he is the top, he is a natural talent. He has an innate ability to make deals, everyone likes him.”
