For Donald Trump, Monday, October 13, became a day to celebrate his diplomatic success. After arriving in Israel and delivering a speech in the local parliament, the Knesset, he went to Sharm el-Sheikh to officially sign the peace plan for the Gaza Strip, also signed by the President of Egypt, Abdel Fatah el-Sisi, and the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
About 20 heads of state and government met in the Egyptian resort, including, in addition to Trump, Erdogan and Abdel el-Sisi, Chancellor Friedrich Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and King Abdullah II of Jordan.
United States President Donald Trump joins leaders of more than 20 other countries during the Gaza Peace Summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, October 13, 2025.PAP/EPA/YOAN VALAT / POOL / PAP
The man who negotiated the agreement for the US president was also in the room: his son-in-law Jared Kushner. After Trump's first term ended [na stanowisku prezydenta] The 44-year-old said goodbye to his father-in-law's political environment and has not played any role in the White House so far. Until he joined the Middle East talks a few weeks ago.
When Steve Witkoff, the Trump government's de facto proxy for the Middle East, addressed thousands of people in Tel Aviv on Saturday, Jared Kushner initially stood behind him. In his speech moments later, he appreciated the resilience of Israeli society, praised the agreement with Hamas and thanked the Israeli army. Kushner is not a good speaker. It is not very noticeable and prefers to work in the background.
However, during Trump's first term, he became increasingly concerned with the Middle East. He is considered the architect of the Abraham Accords, an agreement between Israel and Bahrain, the Emirates, and later also Morocco and Sudan, thanks to which relations between these countries were normalized. However, Kushner's ties with Israel result not only from his Jewish faith, but also from his close relationship with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.
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Netanyahu staying overnight in Kushner's bedroom
The latter maintained a close friendship with Kushner's father, Charles, who is currently the U.S. ambassador to France. As the New York Times reported in 2017, before becoming prime minister, Netanyahu spent the night at Kushner's New Jersey home — or, more precisely, in the nursery of Jared, who was then a teenager. The latter was to move to the basement for that night.
While Trump's 2021 defeat saw his most loyal advisers set up camp in sunny West Palm Beach to plan their boss's return, Kushner said goodbye to his father-in-law's entourage. This fact sparked short-lived speculation about a family dispute. Kushner, however, focused on the activities of his new investment company, Affinity Partners.
A company that achieved rapid success first thanks to an investment of two billion dollars. [7 mld 358 mln zł] from Saudi Arabia, and then, according to the New York Times, thanks to hundreds of millions of dollars from Qatar and the United Arab Emirates in 2023. According to the newspaper, the Persian Gulf countries wanted to prepare the ground for relations with Trump in the event of his possible return to the White House.
These Kushner business relationships also opened up political opportunities for him. After the Israeli attack on Hamas leaders in Doha, Kushner and Witkoff, who also traveled frequently in the region, saw an opportunity to persuade Arab states to reach an agreement.
“He knows the region, he knows the people and he knows all the players.”
Kushner had previously negotiated them with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. “Jared is a very smart guy,” Trump praised his son-in-law during a cabinet meeting Thursday. “He knows the region, he knows the people and he knows all the players,” the president said.
Wolfgang Ischinger had the same impression. The head of the Munich Security Conference Foundation organized a summit in Saudi Al Ula at the beginning of the week just before the successful negotiations between Kushner, Witkoff, Israel and the Arabs in Sharm el-Sheikh.
In addition to business relations, however, there was another factor that influenced the perception of his involvement in the eyes of Arabs: “Kushner contributed to the success of the negotiations in Sharm el-Sheikh because, due to his relationship with Trump, he was perceived by Arab states as the president's personal representative,” a top German diplomat said in an interview with Welt.
Sending [do negocjacji] family members, which is rare in Western democracies, is more important in Arab countrieswhich are ruled by family dynasties. “His presence showed the Arab countries the president's strong will to reach an agreement,” Ischinger said. In this way, Kushner fulfilled the role that Witkoff could never fulfill.
There is no doubt that Kushner will remain committed to the Middle East peace process, which is just beginning. However, he will not return to Trump's top team as an adviser. “This is a one-time thing, but he will be available when his help is needed,” the White House told POLITICO.
I’m Ashley Davis as an editor, I’m committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accuracy in every piece we publish. My work is driven by curiosity, a passion for truth, and a belief that journalism plays a crucial role in shaping public discourse. I strive to tell stories that not only inform but also inspire action and conversation.
