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| Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner arrives in Israel to help broker Middle East peace | Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner arrives in Israel to help broker Middle East peace |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s son-in-law and top White House adviser, has arrived in Israel to help revive a US effort for Middle East peace. | Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s son-in-law and top White House adviser, has arrived in Israel to help revive a US effort for Middle East peace. |
| A former real estate developer with little experience in international diplomacy, Mr Kushner will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before travelling to Ramallah, located in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, for a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. | A former real estate developer with little experience in international diplomacy, Mr Kushner will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before travelling to Ramallah, located in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, for a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. |
| His time on the ground is expected to be only about 20 hours. | His time on the ground is expected to be only about 20 hours. |
| Mr Kushner’s trip follows the President’s visit to the region last month, when Mr Trump also had discussions with the Israeli and Palestinian leaders. Appearing at a press conference with Mr Netanyahu in Jerusalem, Mr Trump declared that the Palestinians are “ready to reach for peace”. | Mr Kushner’s trip follows the President’s visit to the region last month, when Mr Trump also had discussions with the Israeli and Palestinian leaders. Appearing at a press conference with Mr Netanyahu in Jerusalem, Mr Trump declared that the Palestinians are “ready to reach for peace”. |
| Mr Kushner played a key part in planning Mr Trump’s stops in Israel, Saudi Arabia and Rome during the President's tour abroad. The 36-year-old also appears to be taking on a more public role in his father-in-law’s administration, giving his first public remarks as a White House adviser this week. | Mr Kushner played a key part in planning Mr Trump’s stops in Israel, Saudi Arabia and Rome during the President's tour abroad. The 36-year-old also appears to be taking on a more public role in his father-in-law’s administration, giving his first public remarks as a White House adviser this week. |
| Mr Kushner will join Jason Greenblatt, Mr Trump’s chief negotiator in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, in the meetings. | Mr Kushner will join Jason Greenblatt, Mr Trump’s chief negotiator in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, in the meetings. |
| Mr Greenblatt landed in Israel on Monday for preliminary talks in both Jerusalem and Ramallah, and will also remain for follow-up discussions after Mr Kushner has left, officials said. | |
| “Part of it is to figure out how to make incremental change that results in a lasting peace,” Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary, said on Monday. “Part of this is really to utilise the trust that has been built up, and not have these negotiations out in public. But I think that they had a very successful visit when the President was over there, and they’re going to continue to build on that.” | |
| For more than 20 years, the US has pushed for a “two-state solution”, meaning an independent Palestinian state living side-by-side and at peace with Israel. | For more than 20 years, the US has pushed for a “two-state solution”, meaning an independent Palestinian state living side-by-side and at peace with Israel. |
| But during a February meeting with Mr Netanyahu in Washington DC, Mr Trump declared that he was not fixed on two states saying, “I'm looking at two-state and one-state, and I like the one that both parties like”. | But during a February meeting with Mr Netanyahu in Washington DC, Mr Trump declared that he was not fixed on two states saying, “I'm looking at two-state and one-state, and I like the one that both parties like”. |
| A point of contention during the possible peace talks is likely to be the Israelis’ construction of settlements in what the international community considers to be Palestinian territories. | A point of contention during the possible peace talks is likely to be the Israelis’ construction of settlements in what the international community considers to be Palestinian territories. |
| Hours before Mr Kushner's arrival in Israel, Mr Netanyahu announced the beginning of construction on a new Jewish settlement in the West Bank, despite the White House’s position that “further unrestrained settlement activity does not help advance peace”. | Hours before Mr Kushner's arrival in Israel, Mr Netanyahu announced the beginning of construction on a new Jewish settlement in the West Bank, despite the White House’s position that “further unrestrained settlement activity does not help advance peace”. |
| In the past, the Palestinians have called for a stop to settlement building before any peace negotiations can occur. | In the past, the Palestinians have called for a stop to settlement building before any peace negotiations can occur. |