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Kushner believes Palestinians can’t govern themselves, are more concerned with mortgages than statehood

Senior advisor and son-in-law to US President Donald Trump is making headlines again for comments he made in a television interview on Sunday, insinuating that he didn’t believe Palestinians were capable of governing themselves.

Kushner’s controversial statements were made during a sit-down interview with Axios reporter Jonathan Swan who covered a range of topics, including Kushner’s views on Middle East peace — something he has been tasked with achieving by the US administration.

Swan posed the question of whether Kushner believed that Palestinians were “capable of governing themselves without Israeli interference,” to which Kushner responded with, essentially, ‘not yet.’

Here is the full exchange as reported by Slate:

Swan: Do you believe that the Palestinians are capable of governing themselves without Israeli interference?

Kushner: I think that’s a very good question. I think that that’s one that we’ll have to see. The hope is is that they, over time, can become capable of governing …

Swan: They being the Palestinians.

Kushner: The Palestinians. I think there are some things that the current Palestinian government has done well, and there are some things that are lacking. And I do think that in order for the area to be investable, for investors to come in and want to invest in different industries and infrastructure and create jobs, you do need to have a fair judicial system, freedom of press, freedom of expression, tolerance for all religions, and so …

Swan: Can they have freedom from any Israeli government or military interference?

Kushner: I think that it’s a high bar.

According to Al Jazeera, Kushner avoided explicitly saying whether his peace plan would include a two-state solution — something he has avoided ever since he began promoting his plan, leading many to believe the so-called “deal of the century” will feature no such thing as an independent Palestinian state.

When asked if he believed the Palestinian people deserve their own independent sovereign state with a capital in East Jerusalem, one of the core demands of the Palestinians, Kushner skirted around the question, saying he believe Palestinians were more concerned with “the opportunity to pay their mortgage.”

Here is the full exchange:

Swan: Do you believe the Palestinian people deserve their own independent sovereign state with a capital in East Jerusalem?

Kushner: There’s a difference between the technocrats, and there’s a difference between the people. The technocrats are focused on very technocratic things, and when I speak to Palestinian people, what they want is they want the opportunity to live a better life. They want the opportunity to pay their mortgage, to have …

Swan: You don’t think they want their own state, free from Israeli government and military?

Kushner: I think that they want an opportunity.

For many watching the interview, the entire portion on Palestine and the peace process featured what seemed like one insult after the other, coming from an already despised person among Palestinians.

During the interview, Swan asked Kushner if he understood why he was not trusted among the Palestinians, who have boycotted the US government and its peace process since December 2017, when Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

“I’m not here to be trusted,” Kushner said, adding that he believed Palestinians would judge the plan based on whether they think it “will allow them to have a pathway to a better life or not.”

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Thanks, Yumna.

“… when I speak to Palestinian people, what they want is they want the opportunity to live a better life. They want the opportunity to pay their mortgage, to have … …”

I guess he really doesn’t talk to Palestinians at all. Really, “the opportunity to pay their mortgages”? That is so crazy , but I suppose it’s natural for this son of a felon, real estate developer/investor (don’t forget his investments in illegal settlements), etc. to go there. I guess he has never been to Gaza or East Jerusalem… How do you pay a mortgage on something that has been demolished and/or stolen?

Schmuck.

Few believe Israel has actually been serious about finding an agreement with the Palestinians, so it is unlikely it would publish a working proposal.

With the Trump/Kushner plan high centered, Israel going into an election phase with the US not too far behind, it may be good timing for the PA to initiate a process designed to publish a working plan for an agreement. In the past consideration has been given to limiting the right of return to a symbolic number and land swaps have been considered to deal with the settlements.

It would be healthy to have the plausibility of having two states examined in public to determine if that is still an option or, as so many believe, its appropriate to move to one state considerations.

How utterly patronizing.

What a privileged and prejudiced man.

But what else would you expect from a Trump son-in-law given an office in the White House despite having no background, no experience, and no knowledge?

He much resembles Trump in those characteristics, and Trump is always totally focused on himself.

The Palestinians probably can’t govern themselves very well, but the only way to learn it is by doing it. It can take a long time.

It seems pretty obvious to those of us in other countries that Americans are not capable of democracy, and the current Brexit chaos suggests that the British have forgotten what they learned.

Israel doesn’t have a government right now.

Maybe Norway and San Marino can be regarded as more or less successful examples of self-government.

Now this useful idiot just got a promotion! He is actually more stupid than his father-in-law! Wow! And here I thought he was the brains in that family.