It is "logical" that Israel would one day have normalized ties with all 22 Arab states, White House official Jared Kushner told the Emirates News Agency WAM on Tuesday.
"I believe that it is logical for them to do it and I believe it is the right thing to do over time," Kushner told WAM, as the first official Israeli visit to the UAE came to an end.
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Jared Kushner, center, at a meeting of American, Israeli and Emirati officials in Abu Dhabi on Monday
(Photo: GPO)
"Obviously anything could happen, but the reality is that a lot of people are envious of the move that the United Arab Emirates has made," he said.
"A lot of people want access to the technology, economy and the advancements that Israel has. Israel is like another Silicon Valley for the Middle East."
A plane from Israeli flag-carrier El Al arrived in Emirati capital Abu Dhabi on Monday on the first-ever direct commercial flight between the two countries.
The plane carried Israeli and American delegations - including Kushner - for meetings in Abu Dhabi, a little over two weeks after the White House announced a new agreement on normalized ties between Israel and the UAE.
The flight used Saudi airspace - another first for a plane with Israeli registration - and the aircraft departed Abu Dhabi for Tel Aviv a day later.
"From a faith point of view, many Muslims are excited to pray at Al Aqsa Mosque [in Jerusalem] through the United Arab Emirates," Kushner said Tuesday.
"I think this is going to be the start of something really exciting and my hope is that more and more countries would want this because being apart doesn’t benefit anybody," he said.
"We don’t solve problems by not talking to each other. So, normalizing relations and allowing people-to-people and business exchanges will only make the Middle East stronger and a more stable place."
Kushner has played an instrumental role in U.S. President Donald Trump's plan for Middle East peace, dubbed the "deal of the century."
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Jared Kushner speaking at the economic workshop in Bahrain, June 2019
(Photo: Reuters)
In June of last year, he hosted a workshop in Bahrain aimed at showcasing the the economic portion of Washington's long-awaited peace plan.
Trump unveiled the plan in January at a White House ceremony attended by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and boycotted by the Palestinian leadership.
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Benjamin Netanyahu stands beside Donald Trump as he unveils the U.S. peace plan at the White House in January
(Photo: AP)
Kushner also told WAM that he hopes another Arab country normalizes ties with Israel within months, although no other Arab state has said so far it is considering following the UAE. Several have ruled out normalization under current conditions.
"Let's hope it's months," he said.
Israel's neighbors Egypt and Jordan reached peace deals with it decades ago, but other Arab states have long held the position that Israel must agree to give more land to the Palestinians for a state before ties can be normalized.
Israel and the United States have said they are pushing more Arab countries to follow the UAE's path. Intelligence Minister Eli Cohen has mentioned Bahrain and Oman.
From the UAE, Kushner headed to Bahrain and was also to visit Saudi Arabia and Qatar on his Gulf tour.
In Bahrain, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa told Kushner on Tuesday that stability in the Gulf region relies on Saudi Arabia, state news agency BNA said.
Saudi Arabia, Bahrain's close ally, has said its price for normalizing relations with Israel is the creation of a sovereign Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.