Kushner Moving Trump Towards Jerusalem Recognition

Kushner Sets Stage for Trump's Jerusalem Decision

by AFP

December 4, 2017

US President Donald Trump is close to a decision on whether to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital, his son-in-law and Middle East peace envoy Jared Kushner said yesterday.

Palestinian leaders are lobbying desperately against such a move, which the Arab League chief Ahmed Abul Gheit said would boost fanaticism and violence while sinking hopes for peace.

But Kushner, the 36-year-old head of a small and tight-knit White House negotiating team, made a rare public appearance to put an optimistic face on his efforts.



Photo: EPA

"The president's going to make his decision," Kushner told the Saban Forum, choosing not to deny reports Trump will declare Jerusalem Israel's capital on Wednesday.

"He's still looking at a lot of different facts and when he makes his decision, he'll be the one who wants to tell you. So he'll make sure he does that at the right time."

Today, Trump must decide whether to sign a legal waiver that would delay plans to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem for another six months.

[See AFP source for full article here.]