Kushner in Middle East for peace talks

While everyone was busy gazing into the solar eclipse on Monday, White House adviser Jared Kushner quietly snuck away to the Middle East for a trip that will take him to the Persian Gulf and Israel.

Accompanying Kushner on Monday in the Gulf states were deputy national security adviser Dina Powell, and Middle East envoy Jason Greenblatt, a White House official said.

More than 10 days ago, while the president was escalating a potential nuclear conflict with North Korea during his working vacation, the White House announced that Kushner, Powell and Greenblatt were planning to make another trip to the Middle East. No specific date, however, was announced at that time.

But a White House aide and an outside adviser familiar with the trip plans said Kushner departed on Sunday and is set to arrive in Israel Wednesday night for meetings on Thursday. The U.S. delegation was meeting with leaders from the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Qatar and Saudi Arabia in the days before.

It was not clear why the White House would announce the trip but keep details of Kushner’s departure under wraps. A White House spokesman confirmed the schedule but declined to comment on why the details were not made public.

 

Read More: Kushner in Middle East for peace talks – POLITICO