Kushner Tries to Revive Mideast Peace Talks
JARED KUSHNER, WHITE HOUSE SENIOR ADIVSOR: The relationship between Israel and America is stronger than ever. And we really thank Prime Minister Netanyahu for his leadership and his partnership.</s>CLARISSA WARD, CNN ANCHOR: Let's bring in CNN's Oren Liebermann. He is live for us in Jerusalem. Oren, how did the meeting go? What came of it?</s>OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: From the reading we got, a short readout of the introduction of the meeting, there wasn't anything concrete. These two have a long history together, decades together, Kushner and Netanyahu. We didn't get much in terms of a vision or a definitive statement about what's coming next, next steps, time line for any kind of start for negotiations. Frankly, nor did we expect any. Both sides, Israelis and Palestinians, tempering their expectations of what comes next. Kushner did something very smart before coming here to meet with Israeli's and Palestinians. He toured the gulf, meeting with regional Arab leaders who would be critical if Trump wants to start some sort of regional initiative. But it doesn't change the fact of the reality that Kushner faces hear in trying to get Israelis and Palestinians to make concessions. Netanyahu is under criminal investigation. In doing so, and being under investigation, he's shifted sharply to the right to appeal to his own voters in a show of support with his voter base. That's left him little flexibility on a peace process, flexibility to make negotiations, to make concessions. Meanwhile, the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who will meet with Kushner shortly, is waiting for the Trump administration to commit openly and definitively to a two-state solution, something the administration hasn't yet done. That makes it difficult for Abbas to engage on a peace process or negotiations under a Trump administration's leadership. Additionally, Abbas faces his own in-fighting between Fatah, his own party, and Hamas, which runs Gaza, for influence and political power within the Palestinian political sphere. That makes it difficult for both leaders to make concessions towards each other and towards a peace process. Yet, Clarissa, the fact that Kushner is here for the third time since Trump took office indicates how interested Trump is on making progress here. Because of that, you can never write it off, at least not yet.</s>WARD: I want to get a feel as well, Oren -- we know that Kushner has a relationship that goes back many years with Netanyahu, close family ties there. What sort of relationship has he been able to strike with the Palestinian leadership, with Mahmoud Abbas?</s>LIEBERMANN: Because Kushner hasn't been here many times, it doesn't seem there's a strong relationship built there yet between Kushner and Abbas. It's because of the ties between Kushner and Netanyahu that some Palestinian leaders view this skeptically, as Kushner being the one leading a peace push here under Trump. And yet, it has to be pointed out that Jason Greenblatt, Trump's special envoy for international negotiations, who comes from a religious Jewish background in the U.S., has been here multiple times and is viewed quite seriously by both sides, Israelis and Palestinians. He's had far more meetings than Kushner. He's met with regional Arab leaders, all to try to advance the regional peace initiative. He's viewed quite seriously. The problem is, there's no vision yet from the Trump administration. As Kushner tries to build his own relationship, there is a time limit that is definitely ticking in the background of all this, of Trump's attempt to push for an initiative or peace process.</s>WARD: Oren, I have to ask you, because a lot of people in the U.S. and the Jewish community were very disappointed with the lack of any public statement from Jared Kushner regarding the Neo-Nazi protest in Charlottesville. I'm wondering, has there been any pushback in Israel on this matter? Is it a topic of conversation, even?</s>LIEBERMANN: Trump, Kushner, Netanyahu all face criticism for a lack of response or delayed response. It's worth remembering that Netanyahu's response came three days after the Neo-Nazi, white supremacist rally, and only on social media, and only after Trump, himself, responded. Kushner was a target of some of that criticism. Yet, I would say it doesn't affect in any significant way Trump's ability or attempt to make progress here. Why? Because Trump, himself, remains very popular with Netanyahu and Netanyahu's voters. All that criticism hasn't affected Trump's ability to affect change or influence change here. We'll see how it plays out. It didn't come up in the public statements between Kushner and Netanyahu. Netanyahu very much wants to stay away from that topic with Kushner in town.</s>WARD: One can imagine. Oren Liebermann, thank you so much. Coming up next, the White House is putting the final touches on the president's transgender military ban. According to a new report, the guidelines may reach the Pentagon as early as today. Details coming up.