update deskSchools & Higher Education

Kushner: Jews ‘safer in Saudi Arabia’ than on US college campuses

The former Trump adviser's remarks come amid a wave of anti-Israel protests at campuses across the United States, some of which have adopted jihadist terminology along with both overt and covert praise for Hamas.

Senior adviser to former President Donald Trump Jared Kushner speaks at a Knesset event in Jerusalem celebrating the one-year anniversary of the Abraham Accords, Oct. 11, 2021. Photo by Yonatan Sindel/Flash90.
Senior adviser to former President Donald Trump Jared Kushner speaks at a Knesset event in Jerusalem celebrating the one-year anniversary of the Abraham Accords, Oct. 11, 2021. Photo by Yonatan Sindel/Flash90.

Saudi Arabia is a safer place for Jews than college campuses in the United States, former senior U.S. presidential adviser Jared Kushner said this weekend.

“One of the ironies is that, as an American Jew, you’re safer in Saudi Arabia right now than you are on a college campus like Columbia University,” Kushner said on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures.”  “They allowed me to speak freely,” Kushner said of the Saudis after returning from a trip to the Gulf Kingdom, where he spoke at a conference.

The 42-year-old Kushner, who is Jewish, is former President Donald Trump’s son-in-law.

His remarks come amid a wave of anti-Israel protests at campuses across the United States, some of which have adopted jihadist terminology along with both overt and covert praise for Hamas in the aftermath of the terror group’s Oct. 7 assault on Israel, the deadliest single attack on Jews since the Holocaust.

Kushner, who was the architect behind the landmark 2020 Abraham Accords which saw four Arab countries make peace with Israel, said that he remained optimistic that a normalization agreement with Saudi Arabia was still possible in the future.

“Yes, I believe they would like to move forward with the deal with America and with Israel,” Kushner said.

“The deal that’s being discussed isn’t just a partnership with Israel. It’s also deepening their ties with America,” he added.

Hamas is widely believed to have carried out the Oct. 7 massacre to attempt to scuttle the emerging peace deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

You have read 3 articles this month.
Register to receive full access to JNS.

Just before you scroll on...

Israel is at war. JNS is combating the stream of misinformation on Israel with real, honest and factual reporting. In order to deliver this in-depth, unbiased coverage of Israel and the Jewish world, we rely on readers like you. The support you provide allows our journalists to deliver the truth, free from bias and hidden agendas. Can we count on your support? Every contribution, big or small, helps JNS.org remain a trusted source of news you can rely on.

Become a part of our mission by donating today
Topics
Comments
Thank you. You are a loyal JNS Reader.
You have read more than 10 articles this month.
Please register for full access to continue reading and post comments.
Never miss a thing
Get the best stories faster with JNS breaking news updates