Jared Kushner is reportedly set to engage with Gaza officials as discussions continue around US President Donald Trump's proposed Board of Peace initiative The development comes amid ongoing diplomatic efforts surrounding Gaza, with regional actors closely watching Washington's plans for the territory's future governance, reconstruction and security. Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and a key figure in previous Middle East diplomacy, has remained involved in discussions surrounding the administration's regional strategy.
The reported talks come as negotiations involving Gaza, Israel, Hamas, Egypt and the United States continue to shape the wider diplomatic landscape.

Report: Kushner to Speak to Gaza Officials with Board of Peace  | WATCH 

Jared Kushner is reportedly set to engage with Gaza officials as discussions continue around US President Donald Trump's proposed Board of Peace initiative.

The development comes amid ongoing diplomatic efforts surrounding Gaza, with regional actors closely watching Washington's plans for the territory's future governance, reconstruction and security.

Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and a key figure in previous Middle East diplomacy, has remained involved in discussions surrounding the administration's regional strategy.

The reported talks come as negotiations involving Gaza, Israel, Hamas, Egypt and the United States continue to shape the wider diplomatic landscape.

Report: Kushner to Speak to Gaza Officials with Board of Peace

US President Donald Trump has announced that the proposed civilian nuclear agreement between the United States and Saudi Arabia will only be approved if Riyadh recognizes the State of Israel by joining the Abraham Accords. Trump stated that the deal, which is limited to non-military civilian nuclear energy and prohibits uranium enrichment, is "totally subject" to Saudi Arabia becoming part of the Abraham Accords. The remarks have raised fresh questions over the future of US-Saudi relations and Middle East diplomacy, especially since the text of the agreement has not yet been released. Saudi Arabia has not officially responded to Trump's latest statement.

Trump makes Saudi Nuclear deal conditional on Israel recognition | Abraham Accords back in Focus

Donald Trump on Thursday announced his first foreign trip as president will include stops in Saudi Arabia, Israel and the Vatican -- the spiritual centers of Islam, Judaism and Catholicism.

Trump will add the three stops to an already announced visit to NATO and G7 summits in Brussels and Sicily later this month.

&quot;My first foreign trip as president of the United States will be to Saudi Arabia, then Israel, and then to a place that my cardinals love very much, Rome,&quot; Trump said in a Rose Garden announcement.

Aides described the decision to travel to Saudi Arabia first as an effort to reset relations with the Muslim world.

There, Trump will meet with leaders from across in the Gulf and &nbsp;broader Middle East in the hope of curbing jihadi terror groups and Iran&#39;s growing regional clout.

&quot;Saudi Arabia is the custodian of the two holiest sites in Islam,&quot; said Trump, who has frequently been accused of fueling Islamophobia.

Trump said in Saudi Arabia he would &quot;begin to construct a new foundation of cooperation and support with our Muslim allies to combat extremism, terrorism and violence and to embrace a more just and hopeful future for young Muslims in their countries.&quot;

The aim, one senior administration official said, was to reverse a trend &quot;of America&#39;s disengagement from the world and some of its biggest problems.&quot;

During president Barack Obama&#39;s tenure relations with the Gulf States, and Saudi Arabia in particular, were strained over his administration&#39;s engagement with Iran.

Trump&#39;s administration -- which includes generals who have had bitter personal experience with Iranian-backed militias in Iraq and Lebanon -- has vowed to push back against Iranian influence across the region.

Peacemaker

The visit also comes as Trump wades into Middle East peacemaking,&nbsp;trying to reach a deal between Israel and the Palestinians,&nbsp;a goal that has eluded his predecessors and countless diplomats.

Trump is expected to meet both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas on the trip.

A senior aide did not rule out the possibility of a presidential stop in the West Bank, but that is likely to be contingent on security and Abbas taking concrete steps toward peace.&nbsp;

Trump on Wednesday hosted Abbas at the White House, pledging to help end the decades-old conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.

&quot;It is something that I think is frankly, maybe not as difficult as people have thought over the years,&quot; Trump said, exuding his trademark bravado.

From there Trump will travel to the Vatican, where he will be received by Pope Francis on May 24.

Trump&#39;s attendance of a NATO summit in Brussels will be closely watched. The new president has demanded allies pay more for collective security, but has backed away from his early declarations that the alliance is &quot;obsolete.&quot;

A G7 summit in Sicily will offer Trump the chance to sit down face-to-face with leaders of the world&#39;s largest economies. 
 
(AFP)

Aides described the decision to travel to Saudi Arabia first as an effort to reset relations with the Muslim world

Donald Trump on Thursday announced his first foreign trip as president will include stops in Saudi Arabia, Israel and the Vatican -- the spiritual centers of Islam, Judaism and Catholicism. Trump will add the three stops to an already announced visit to NATO and G7 summits in Brussels and Sicily later this month. "My first foreign trip as president of the United States will be to Saudi Arabia, then Israel, and then to a place that my cardinals love very much, Rome," Trump said in a Rose Garden announcement. Aides described the decision to travel to Saudi Arabia first as an effort to reset relations with the Muslim world. There, Trump will meet with leaders from across in the Gulf and broader Middle East in the hope of curbing jihadi terror groups and Iran's growing regional clout. "Saudi Arabia is the custodian of the two holiest sites in Islam," said Trump, who has frequently been accused of fueling Islamophobia. Trump said in Saudi Arabia he would "begin to construct a new foundation of cooperation and support with our Muslim allies to combat extremism, terrorism and violence and to embrace a more just and hopeful future for young Muslims in their countries." The aim, one senior administration official said, was to reverse a trend "of America's disengagement from the world and some of its biggest problems." During president Barack Obama's tenure relations with the Gulf States, and Saudi Arabia in particular, were strained over his administration's engagement with Iran. Trump's administration -- which includes generals who have had bitter personal experience with Iranian-backed militias in Iraq and Lebanon -- has vowed to push back against Iranian influence across the region. Peacemaker The visit also comes as Trump wades into Middle East peacemaking, trying to reach a deal between Israel and the Palestinians, a goal that has eluded his predecessors and countless diplomats. Trump is expected to meet both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas on the trip. A senior aide did not rule out the possibility of a presidential stop in the West Bank, but that is likely to be contingent on security and Abbas taking concrete steps toward peace. Trump on Wednesday hosted Abbas at the White House, pledging to help end the decades-old conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. "It is something that I think is frankly, maybe not as difficult as people have thought over the years," Trump said, exuding his trademark bravado. From there Trump will travel to the Vatican, where he will be received by Pope Francis on May 24. Trump's attendance of a NATO summit in Brussels will be closely watched. The new president has demanded allies pay more for collective security, but has backed away from his early declarations that the alliance is "obsolete." A G7 summit in Sicily will offer Trump the chance to sit down face-to-face with leaders of the world's largest economies. (AFP)

Trump announces trip to Saudi Arabia, Israel, Vatican

President Donald Trump vowed on Wednesday to work to broker peace between Israel and the Palestinians as he hosted Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the White House but offered no clues about how he could break the deadlock and revive long-stalled negotiations.

In their first face-to-face meeting, Trump pressed Palestinian leaders to &ldquo;speak in a unified voice against incitement&rdquo; to violence against Israelis but he stopped short of explicitly recommitting his administration to a two-state solution to the decades-old conflict, a longstanding bedrock of US policy.

&quot;We will get this done,&rdquo; Trump told Abbas during a joint appearance at the White House, saying he was prepared to act a mediator, facilitator or arbitrator between the two sides.

Abbas quickly reasserted the goal of a Palestinian state as vital to any rejuvenated peace process, reiterating that it must have its capital in Jerusalem with borders based on pre-1967 lines. Israel rejects a full return to 1967 borders as a threat to its security.

Trump faced deep skepticism at home and abroad over his chances for a breakthrough with Abbas, not least because the new U.S. administration has yet to articulate a cohesive strategy for restarting the moribund peace process.

Abbas&rsquo; White House talks follow a mid-February visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who moved quickly to reset ties after a frequently combative relationship with the Republican president&#39;s predecessor, Democratic President Barack Obama.

Trump sparked international criticism at the time when he appeared to back away from support for a two-state solution, saying he would leave it up to the parties themselves to decide. The goal of a Palestinian state living peacefully beside Israel has been the position of successive US&nbsp;administrations and the international community

The meeting with Abbas, the Western-backed head of the Palestinian Authority, was another test of whether Trump, in office a little more than 100 days, is serious about pursuing what he has called the &ldquo;ultimate deal&rdquo; of Israeli-Palestinian peace that eluded his predecessors.

&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve always heard that perhaps the toughest deal to make is between the Israelis and the Palestinian,&rdquo; Trump said on Wednesday. &ldquo;Let&rsquo;s see if we can prove them wrong.&rdquo;

But he offered no new policy prescriptions.

Low Expectations

Abbas, speaking through a translator, told Trump that under &ldquo;your courageous stewardship and your wisdom, as well as your great negotiations ability,&rdquo; the Palestinians would be partners seeking a &ldquo;historic peace treaty.&rdquo;

The last round of U.S.-brokered peace talks collapsed in 2014.

Abbas said, &ldquo;it&rsquo;s about time for Israel to end its occupation of our people and our land&rdquo; - a reference to Jewish settlement building in the West Bank. Reaffirming his commitment to a two-state solution, he called on Israel to recognize Palestinian statehood just as Palestinians recognize the state of Israel.

Though expectations are low for significant progress, plans are being firmed up for Trump to visit the right-wing Israeli leader in Jerusalem and possibly Abbas in the West Bank, targeted for May 22-23, according to people familiar with the matter. U.S. and Israeli officials have declined to confirm the visit.

Questions have been raised about Trump&rsquo;s choice of his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who entered the White House with no government experience, to oversee Middle East peace efforts, along with Trump&rsquo;s longtime business lawyer, Jason Greenblatt, as on-the-ground envoy.

The administration seeks to enlist Israel&#39;s Sunni Arab neighbors, who share Israeli concerns about Shi&#39;ite Iran, to help rejuvenate Middle East peacemaking.

Abbas, who governs in the West Bank while Hamas militants rule Gaza, was under pressure at home to avoid making major concessions to Trump, especially with an ongoing hunger strike by hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

Palestinian officials say it will be hard for Abbas to return to the negotiating table without a long-standing pre-condition of a freeze on Jewish settlement expansion on land Israel occupied in 1967 which Palestinians want for a state.

Trump&rsquo;s pro-Israel rhetoric during the 2016 election campaign raised concern among Palestinians about whether their leaders will get a fair hearing.

Trump&rsquo;s promise to move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv, strongly opposed by Palestinians, has been shifted to the back burner, and he has asked Netanyahu to put unspecified limits on settlement activity. 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

The US president, however, offered no clues about how he could break the deadlock and revive long-stalled negotiations

President Donald Trump vowed on Wednesday to work to broker peace between Israel and the Palestinians as he hosted Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the White House but offered no clues about how he could break the deadlock and revive long-stalled negotiations. In their first face-to-face meeting, Trump pressed Palestinian leaders to “speak in a unified voice against incitement” to violence against Israelis but he stopped short of explicitly recommitting his administration to a two-state solution to the decades-old conflict, a longstanding bedrock of US policy. "We will get this done,” Trump told Abbas during a joint appearance at the White House, saying he was prepared to act a mediator, facilitator or arbitrator between the two sides. Abbas quickly reasserted the goal of a Palestinian state as vital to any rejuvenated peace process, reiterating that it must have its capital in Jerusalem with borders based on pre-1967 lines. Israel rejects a full return to 1967 borders as a threat to its security. Trump faced deep skepticism at home and abroad over his chances for a breakthrough with Abbas, not least because the new U.S. administration has yet to articulate a cohesive strategy for restarting the moribund peace process. Abbas’ White House talks follow a mid-February visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who moved quickly to reset ties after a frequently combative relationship with the Republican president's predecessor, Democratic President Barack Obama. Trump sparked international criticism at the time when he appeared to back away from support for a two-state solution, saying he would leave it up to the parties themselves to decide. The goal of a Palestinian state living peacefully beside Israel has been the position of successive US administrations and the international community The meeting with Abbas, the Western-backed head of the Palestinian Authority, was another test of whether Trump, in office a little more than 100 days, is serious about pursuing what he has called the “ultimate deal” of Israeli-Palestinian peace that eluded his predecessors. “I’ve always heard that perhaps the toughest deal to make is between the Israelis and the Palestinian,” Trump said on Wednesday. “Let’s see if we can prove them wrong.” But he offered no new policy prescriptions. Low Expectations Abbas, speaking through a translator, told Trump that under “your courageous stewardship and your wisdom, as well as your great negotiations ability,” the Palestinians would be partners seeking a “historic peace treaty.” The last round of U.S.-brokered peace talks collapsed in 2014. Abbas said, “it’s about time for Israel to end its occupation of our people and our land” - a reference to Jewish settlement building in the West Bank. Reaffirming his commitment to a two-state solution, he called on Israel to recognize Palestinian statehood just as Palestinians recognize the state of Israel. Though expectations are low for significant progress, plans are being firmed up for Trump to visit the right-wing Israeli leader in Jerusalem and possibly Abbas in the West Bank, targeted for May 22-23, according to people familiar with the matter. U.S. and Israeli officials have declined to confirm the visit. Questions have been raised about Trump’s choice of his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who entered the White House with no government experience, to oversee Middle East peace efforts, along with Trump’s longtime business lawyer, Jason Greenblatt, as on-the-ground envoy. The administration seeks to enlist Israel's Sunni Arab neighbors, who share Israeli concerns about Shi'ite Iran, to help rejuvenate Middle East peacemaking. Abbas, who governs in the West Bank while Hamas militants rule Gaza, was under pressure at home to avoid making major concessions to Trump, especially with an ongoing hunger strike by hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. Palestinian officials say it will be hard for Abbas to return to the negotiating table without a long-standing pre-condition of a freeze on Jewish settlement expansion on land Israel occupied in 1967 which Palestinians want for a state. Trump’s pro-Israel rhetoric during the 2016 election campaign raised concern among Palestinians about whether their leaders will get a fair hearing. Trump’s promise to move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv, strongly opposed by Palestinians, has been shifted to the back burner, and he has asked Netanyahu to put unspecified limits on settlement activity. (Reuters)

In first meeting with Mahmoud Abbas, Trump vows to broker Israeli-Palestinian peace