Jared Kushner appeals to Palestinian to back £40bn economic plan
Son-in-law and special adviser to president Trump sends 'direct message' to Palestinians' as he kicked off two-day workshop in Bahrain
US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner, has appealed for Palestinians to consider his 50 billion dollar economic support plan.
As Palestinians protested against the plan on the streets of the West Bank, Gaza and elsewhere, Mr Kushner kicked off a two-day workshop in the Gulf kingdom of Bahrain aimed at building support for his economic vision and overcoming heavy scepticism about prospects for its success.
Mr Kushner said: “My direct message to the Palestinians is that despite what those who have let you down in the past have told you, President Trump and America has not given up on you.
“This workshop is for you and if this is executed correctly it will lead to a better future for the Palestinian people: a future of dignity, prosperity and opportunity.”
Mr Kushner’s audience in Bahrain did not include any official Palestinian delegation. Nor was Israel, which will have to sign off on many of the proposal’s projects, represented by government officials.
Those who heard Mr Kushner in person were Arab finance ministers, the heads of international financial organisations and global business executives and investors.
While the representation was broad, many countries’ delegations were not headed by cabinet ministers, an indication of their uncertainty about the proposal’s viability.
The Palestinians have rejected the proposal – which aims in 10 years to create a million new jobs, slash unemployment and improve living standards in the West Bank, Gaza and across the Middle East – because it does not include a horizon for ending Israel’s occupation and granting independence.
US officials say the political portion of the plan addressing such thorny issues may not be released until the autumn.
Mr Kushner acknowledged that a political solution is key to the success of the economic proposal. He said it was first more important to set out what is economically possible.
“Agreeing on an economic pathway forward is a necessary precondition to resolving what has been a previously unsolvable political situation,” he said.
But, without proposals on borders, the status of Jerusalem and the fate of Palestinian refugees, the Palestinians say the economic plan is meaningless.
To express their rejection, Palestinians in Gaza called a general strike to protest the meeting, with demonstrators in the West Bank burning effigies of Mr Trump and featuring a donkey pasted over with images of Gulf royals.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
