ABU DHABI: White House senior adviser and US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner left on a tour of other Gulf capitals on Tuesday, looking for more Arab support for ties wih Israel. Kushner is also expected to visit Qatar.
Israel and the UAE set up a joint committee to cooperate on financial services at the talks in Abu Dhabi. In remarks reported by the UAE state news agency WAM, Kushner suggested other Arab states could follow quickly. Asked when the next would normalise ties with Israel, he was quoted as saying: “Let’s hope it’s months.”
While no other Arab country has yet indicated a willingness to follow the UAE, Saudi Arabia allowed the El Al charter flight carrying Kushner and the Israelis to use its airspace.
In Bahrain, the state news agency reported that during his meeting with Kushner, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa praised the role the UAE has played in defending Arab and Islamic interests.
In Saudi Arabia, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Kushner discussed the need for the Palestinians and the Israelis to resume negotiations and reach a lasting peace, state news agency SPA reported.
Palestinian opposition
The Palestinians have denounced the UAE agreement with Israel, which they say violates a longstanding pan-Arab position that Israel could normalise relations only in return for land. The UAE says it obtained a major concession from Israel to halt plans to annexe territory on the occupied West Bank.
Israeli officials have played up the economic benefits of the UAE deal. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said representatives of the two countries had signed an agreement on cooperation in financial services.
The Abu Dhabi Investment Office and Invest in Israel, part of Israel’s economy ministry, issued a joint statement saying they had agreed to set out a plan to establish formal cooperation.
The UAE’s biggest lender – First Abu Dhabi Bank – later said it would open discussions with Israeli lenders Bank Hapoalim and Bank Leumi.