WASHINGTON: US envoy Jared Kushner has urged Israel to help Palestinians “thrive” as a pathway toward regional integration following the Gaza war.
“The biggest message that we’ve tried to convey to the Israeli leadership now is that now that the war is over, if you want to integrate Israel with the broader Middle East, you have to find a way to help the Palestinian people thrive and do better,“ Kushner told CBS News.
His comments came amid renewed Israeli strikes on Gaza after Israel accused Hamas of violating the truce by attacking troops.
Kushner, who is also former President Donald Trump‘s son-in-law, previously helped broker landmark deals that saw several Arab governments normalise ties with Israel.
He described the current situation as “very difficult” but expressed hope for “joint security and economic opportunity” to ensure Israelis and Palestinians “can live peacefully side by side in a durable way.”
Kushner returned to Israel on Monday alongside Trump‘s special envoy Steve Witkoff for meetings with Israeli government officials.
Regarding Gaza’s situation since the October 10 ceasefire began, Kushner stated: “Hamas right now is doing exactly what you would expect a terrorist organization to do, which is to try to reconstitute and take back their positions.”
He argued that if “a viable alternative” emerges, “Hamas will fail, and Gaza will not be a threat to Israel in the future.”
When questioned about Palestinian statehood prospects, Kushner said it was “too early to tell.”
Most governments worldwide recognise Palestinian statehood, though Israel and the United States do not. – AFP
