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Jared Kushner launches Israeli-Arab peace institute

A statement from the organization hinted that part of its mission was to encourage more countries to sign deals with Israel.

By Lauren Marcus, World Israel News

Jared Kushner is launching an organization aimed at deepening Israel’s ties with the Arab world and promoting peace in the region.

The Abraham Accords Institute, named after the September 2020 normalization agreements signed between Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain, will work to strengthen tourism and trade ties.

Sudan and Morocco, which also recently signed peace agreements with Israel, will be included in the institute’s focus.

A statement from the organization hinted that part of its mission was to encourage more countries to sign deals with Israel.

The organization said it will work to “provide analysis of the benefits of normalization and the potential benefits additional Arab countries can receive if they join the Abraham Accords.”

Kushner, the scion of a New York real estate dynasty, was one of the central architects of the accords during his time serving as an advisor to his father-in-law, former president Donald Trump.

His close friend Avi Berkowitz, who served as Special Envoy to the Middle East and was deeply involved in negotiations for the agreement, will serve on the organization’s board.

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Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi, Emirati Ambassador to the U.S. Yousef Al Otaiba, and Bahraini Ambassador to the U.S. Abdulla R. Al-Khalifa are also set to join the board.

Israeli-American billionaire and major Democratic party donor Haim Saban will also play a central role in keeping with the organization’s statement that they are a nonpartisan institute.

“The energy and enthusiasm for the Accords across the region is truly remarkable,” the Abraham Accords Institute for Peace said in a statement.

“In less than a year, this warm peace is melting decades of misunderstanding and hostility across the region. This is a peace among peoples as much as it is among nations. This will be the institute’s focus – to nurture and deepen these human connections.”