Jared Kushner, former senior adviser to the President during the Donald Trump Administration, recently sat down with Alex Freedman to discuss topics of War and Peace, history, and power in the Middle East and beyond. The conversation was recorded on Thursday, October 5th, and then again on Monday, October 9th, after the Hamas attack on Israel. The discussion covers the current situation in Israel and Gaza and the humanitarian impact of the conflict.
Key Takeaways:
- The Hamas attack on Israel has resulted in a multi-pronged infiltration of Israel territory by over 1,000 Hamas militants, resulting in the death of civilians and the taking of captives, including women and children.
- Israel has responded with airstrikes in Gaza and is preparing to mobilize troops for a potential ground attack on Hamas. The situation is still developing, and the death toll is expected to rise.
- The conflict highlights the ongoing power dynamics in the region and the role of Hamas in perpetuating violence and hindering progress towards peace in the Middle East.
Jared Kushner's Profile
Jared Kushner is a former senior adviser to the president during the Donald Trump Administration and author of "Breaking History: A White House Memoir". He is considered one of the most influential and effective presidential advisers in modern history, having helped conduct negotiations with some of the most powerful leaders in the world and deliver results on trade, Criminal Justice Reform, and historic progress towards peace in the Middle East.
Kushner has been actively involved in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Gaza, which escalated following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7th, 2023. He expressed his deep concern for the victims of the conflict and his hope for a long-term peace and flourishing of the Israeli and Palestinian people.
As a former senior advisor to the president under the Trump administration, Kushner has a unique perspective on the current situation in Israel and Gaza. He believes that it is important for the entire world to stand behind Israel and that Hamas has shown its true nature as a terrorist group that is being funded by Iran. He also believes that there cannot be peace in the Middle East while there is a terror group that is allowed to flourish and plan operations that aim to kill innocent civilians.
Kushner played a significant role in the Trump administration's efforts to minimize attacks from Hamas and turn the region around. Under his leadership, the Middle East went from one of the most chaotic regions in the world to a more stable one. He believes that eliminating or severely degrading Hamas's capabilities is necessary to avoid being in this situation again.
The Hamas Attack on Israel
On October 7th, 2023, Hamas militants fired thousands of rockets into Southern Israel, serving as cover for a multi-pronged infiltration of Israel's territory by over 1,000 Hamas militants. Shortly after, at 7:40 a.m., the Hamas militants went door-to-door in border towns, killing civilians and taking captives, including women and children. In response, the Israeli Air Force began carrying out strikes in Gaza, also fighting on the ground in Israel to clear out Hamas militants from Israel's territory and preparing to mobilize Israeli troops for a potential ground attack on Hamas and Gaza.
As of October 9th, the IDF is ordering civilian residents of Gaza to evacuate their homes for their safety. Benjamin Netanyahu declared war in several statements and warned Israelis to brace themselves for a long and difficult war. Israeli ministers ordered a "Complete Siege of Gaza," interrupting supplies of electricity, food, water, and fuel from Israel to Gaza. As of now, the death toll is over 1,200 people, and over 130 hostages have been taken to Gaza by Hamas.
The situation is still developing, and the events are rapidly unfolding, so the numbers will sadly increase. Hamas is a Palestinian militant group that rules the Gaza Strip and originated in 1988. It came to power in Gaza in 2006 as part of its charter, which swears war to the destruction of Israel. It is designated by the United States, European Union, UK, and Israel as a terrorist group.
The former senior adviser to the president under the Trump administration, Jared Kushner, expressed his heartbreak over the events that have unfolded, seeing images of militants gunning down innocent civilians, seeing beheaded Israeli soldiers, and young children held captive. He believes it is essential for the entire world to stand behind Israel, and Hamas has shown the entire world who they really are. Kushner believes that there cannot be peace in Israel and the Middle East while there is a terror group that is being funded by Iran that is allowed to flourish and plan operations that aim to kill innocent civilians.
The Current Situation
As of Monday, October 9th, the situation in Israel and Gaza is rapidly developing and remains tense. On Saturday, October 7th, Hamas launched thousands of rockets into Southern Israel, providing cover for a multi-pronged infiltration of Israeli territory by over 1,000 Hamas militants. The militants went door-to-door in border towns, killing civilians and taking captives, including women and children. In response, the Israeli Air Force began carrying out strikes in Gaza and fighting on the ground to clear out Hamas militants from Israeli territory. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) are also ordering civilian residents of Gaza to evacuate their homes for their safety.
Israeli ministers have ordered a "Complete Siege of Gaza," interrupting supplies of electricity, food, water, and fuel from Israel to Gaza. The death toll is over 1,200 people, and over 130 hostages have been taken to Gaza by Hamas. The IDF is preparing to mobilize Israeli troops for a potential ground attack on Hamas and Gaza.
The situation is still developing, and these numbers may sadly increase. Benjamin Netanyahu has declared war in several statements and warned Israelis to brace themselves for a long and difficult war. The events of the last 48 hours have been heartbreaking, with terrorists going door-to-door with machine guns, gunning down innocent civilians, and taking hostages.
Jared Kushner, former senior adviser to the president during the Donald Trump administration, has spoken about the situation, saying that it is a terror attack on the scale of which the world has not seen since 9/11. Hamas, a Palestinian militant group that rules the Gaza Strip, is designated as a terrorist group by the United States, European Union, UK, and Israel.
Kushner has also stated that it is crucial for the entire world to stand behind Israel at this moment in time. He believes that Hamas has shown the world who they really are and what they are willing to do. He also believes that there cannot be peace in Israel and the Middle East while there is a terror group that is being funded by Iran that is allowed to flourish and plan operations that aim to kill innocent civilians.
The situation is heartbreaking, and Kushner is praying for peace and strength for the Israeli and Palestinian people. He hopes that Israel will do what it needs to do to avoid being in this situation again, either by eliminating or severely degrading Hamas's capabilities. As somebody who was formerly involved with Israel and the strategies to minimize attacks from Hamas, Kushner believes that the Middle East has made substantial progress under President Trump, going from one of the most chaotic regions in the world to a much more stable one.
The Humanitarian Impact
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has resulted in a devastating impact on the civilians caught in the middle. As of October 9th, the death toll has exceeded 1,200 people, with over 130 hostages taken by Hamas. The Israeli Air Force has been carrying out strikes in Gaza, while fighting on the ground continues in Israel to clear out Hamas militants from Israeli territory. The IDF has ordered civilian residents of Gaza to evacuate their homes for their safety, and Israeli ministers have ordered a "Complete Siege of Gaza," interrupting supplies of electricity, food, water, and fuel from Israel to Gaza.
The situation is still developing, and the death toll is expected to rise. The events of the last 48 hours have been truly heartbreaking, with militants going door-to-door with machine guns, gunning down innocent civilians, beheading Israeli soldiers, and taking young children and elderly women captive. These are just some of the images and actions that have not been seen since 9/11.
As a former senior advisor to the president under the Trump administration, Jared Kushner believes that it is important for the entire world to stand behind Israel at this moment in time. Hamas has shown the world who they really are, and what they are willing to do. The ongoing conflict has highlighted the urgent need to eliminate or severely degrade Hamas's capabilities, as there cannot be peace in Israel and the Middle East while a terror group is allowed to flourish.
Kushner's heart goes out to everyone who has and is suffering in this war, and he prays for the long-term peace and flourishing of the Israeli and Palestinian people. The conflict has been a devastating reminder of the timeless underlying currents of the history and power dynamics of the region.
Historical Context
Jared Kushner, former senior adviser to the president during the Donald Trump Administration and author of "Breaking History: A White House Memoir," was interviewed by Alex Freedman on Thursday, October 5th, and again on Monday, October 9th, to discuss the current situation in Israel and Gaza. The conversation took place about a day and a half before the Hamas attack on Israel. On Saturday, October 7th, Hamas fired thousands of rockets into Southern Israel, which served as cover for a multi-pronged infiltration of Israel territory by over 1,000 Hamas militants. Israeli Air Force began carrying out strikes in Gaza in response, also fighting on the ground in Israel to clear out Hamas militants from Israel territory and preparing to mobilize Israeli troops for potential ground attack on Hamas and Gaza. As of October 9th, the death toll is over 1,200 people and over 130 hostages taken to Gaza by Hamas. Gaza is a 25-mile-long, 6-mile-wide strip of territory along the Mediterranean Sea, densely populated with about 2.3 million people. Hamas is a Palestinian militant group that originated in 1988 and came to power in Gaza in 2006. It is designated as a terrorist group by the United States, European Union, UK, and Israel.
Jared Kushner's Personal Response
Jared Kushner, former senior adviser to the president during the Donald Trump Administration and author of Breaking History: A White House Memoir, expressed his feelings about the current situation in Israel and Gaza in an interview with Alex Freedman. He stated that he found the events of the last 48 hours to be heartbreaking and that the terror attack on the scale of which the world has not seen since 9/11 was difficult for many people to comprehend.
Kushner's heart goes out to all the families of the victims and to all of Israel. He mentioned that one of the beautiful things about the state of Israel is that when one Israeli is hurting, the entire nation comes together. Kushner has seen incredibly beautiful signs over the last 48 hours of a country coming together to fight for their homeland and to try to reestablish safety.
Kushner stressed the importance of the entire world standing behind Israel at this moment in time. He thinks that Hamas has shown the entire world who they really are and what they are willing to do. He believes that there cannot be peace in Israel and in the Middle East while there is a terror group that is being funded by Iran that is allowed to flourish and is allowed to plan operations that aim to kill innocent civilians.
As somebody who was formerly in this position and was intimately involved with Israel and the strategies to minimize attacks from Hamas, Kushner thinks that Israel needs to eliminate or severely degrade Hamas's capabilities to avoid being in this situation again. He stated that he was involved with President Trump, and together, they did a very substantial job in turning the region around. The Middle East went from one of the most chaotic regions in the world to a region that saw historic progress towards peace in the Middle East.
Kushner concluded that he is praying for peace and strength for the Israeli and Palestinian people and hoping for the long-term peace and flourishing of the region.
Global Response
The recent conflict between Israel and Hamas has garnered global attention and sparked a range of responses from various nations and organizations. The United States, for instance, has expressed its support for Israel's right to defend itself against Hamas' rocket attacks, while also calling for a de-escalation of the violence. The European Union has similarly condemned Hamas' actions and called for an immediate end to the violence, while also urging Israel to show restraint in its response.
The United Nations has also weighed in on the situation, with Secretary-General António Guterres calling for an immediate ceasefire and expressing his concern for the safety of civilians caught in the crossfire. The UN has also launched an emergency appeal for $95 million to provide humanitarian aid to those affected by the conflict.
Several Arab nations, including Egypt and Jordan, have also called for an end to the violence and urged both sides to return to the negotiating table. However, other nations, such as Iran and Turkey, have expressed their support for Hamas and criticized Israel's actions.
Overall, the global response to the conflict has been mixed, with many nations calling for an end to the violence and a return to negotiations, while others have taken sides and expressed their support for one party or the other. As the situation continues to develop, it remains to be seen what further actions will be taken by the international community to address the ongoing conflict.
Israel's Response
As of Monday, October 9th, the Israeli Air Force has been carrying out strikes in Gaza, while also fighting on the ground in Israel to clear out Hamas militants from Israeli territory. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have ordered civilian residents of Gaza to evacuate their homes for their safety, while Israeli ministers have ordered a "Complete Siege of Gaza," interrupting supplies of electricity, food, water, and fuel from Israel to Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared war in several statements and warned Israelis to brace themselves for a long and difficult war. The death toll as of October 9th is over 1,200 people, with over 130 hostages taken to Gaza by Hamas. The situation is still developing, so these numbers may increase.
Israel's response to the Hamas attack has been swift and forceful. The IDF is mobilizing troops for a potential ground attack on Hamas and Gaza, and the Israeli government is seeking to eliminate or severely degrade Hamas's capabilities. Hamas, a Palestinian militant group that rules the Gaza Strip, is designated by the United States, European Union, UK, and Israel as a terrorist group.
Former Senior Adviser to the President during the Donald Trump Administration, Jared Kushner, has expressed his heartbreak over the situation, saying that the events of the last 48 hours have been truly heartbreaking to see. He has called on the entire world to stand behind Israel and has emphasized the importance of eliminating or severely degrading Hamas's capabilities to ensure long-term peace and security in the region.
The Role of Hamas
Hamas is a Palestinian militant group that originated in 1988 and came to power in Gaza in 2006. The group's charter calls for the destruction of Israel, and it is designated as a terrorist group by the United States, European Union, UK, and Israel.
In the current situation, Hamas has fired thousands of rockets into Southern Israel, and its militants have infiltrated Israel territory, killing civilians and taking captives, including women and children. In response, the Israeli Air Force has carried out strikes in Gaza, and ground troops are fighting to clear out Hamas militants from Israel territory.
The situation is rapidly developing, and the death toll is over 1,200 people, with over 130 hostages taken to Gaza by Hamas. Israeli ministers have ordered a "Complete Siege of Gaza," interrupting supplies of electricity, food, water, and fuel from Israel to Gaza.
As a former senior adviser to the president under the Trump administration, Jared Kushner believes that it is important for the entire world to stand behind Israel at this moment in time. He thinks that Hamas has shown the world who they really are and what they are willing to do. He believes that there cannot be peace in Israel and in the Middle East while there is a terror group being funded by Iran that is allowed to flourish and plan operations that aim to kill innocent civilians.
Kushner believes that the Middle East went from one of the most chaotic regions in the world to a region with historic progress towards peace under the Trump administration. However, he thinks that it is important for Israel to eliminate or severely degrade Hamas's capabilities to avoid being in this situation again.
Implications for Peace in the Middle East
The recent events in Israel and Gaza have had a significant impact on the prospects for peace in the Middle East. The conflict has caused widespread destruction and loss of life, and has reignited tensions between Israel and Palestine.
The current situation is rapidly evolving, with both sides engaging in military operations. Hamas has fired thousands of rockets into Southern Israel and carried out a multi-pronged infiltration of Israeli territory. In response, Israel has carried out airstrikes in Gaza and is preparing for a potential ground attack on Hamas.
The death toll has already surpassed 1,200 people, and over 130 hostages have been taken to Gaza by Hamas. Israeli ministers have ordered a complete siege of Gaza, interrupting supplies of electricity, food, water, and fuel from Israel to Gaza.
Former senior adviser to the President during the Donald Trump Administration, Jared Kushner, has expressed his heartbreak over the situation and called for the world to stand behind Israel. He believes that Hamas has shown its true colors, and that there cannot be peace in Israel and the Middle East while there is a terror group that is being funded by Iran and is allowed to flourish.
Kushner also emphasized the importance of eliminating or severely degrading Hamas's capabilities, as there cannot be peace in the region while such a group exists. He noted that under President Trump, the Middle East saw significant progress towards peace, with the region going from one of the most chaotic in the world to a more stable one.
The implications of the current conflict for peace in the Middle East are significant. The conflict has highlighted the deep-seated tensions and divisions that exist in the region, and has underscored the need for a lasting and comprehensive peace agreement between Israel and Palestine. It remains to be seen how the situation will evolve, but it is clear that the path to peace will be a difficult and challenging one.
Reflections on the Trump Administration's Policies
Jared Kushner, former senior adviser to the president during the Donald Trump Administration, shared his thoughts on the current situation in Israel and Gaza. He expressed his heartbreak over the recent terror attack by Hamas militants, which resulted in the deaths of innocent civilians and the capture of hostages, including women and children.
Kushner emphasized the importance of standing behind Israel at this moment and eliminating or severely degrading Hamas's capabilities to ensure long-term peace and security in the region. He also highlighted the success of the Trump Administration's policies in the Middle East, which helped to minimize attacks from Hamas and turn the region around from one of the most chaotic in the world.
Kushner's reflections were confident, knowledgeable, and neutral in tone, as he spoke from his experience as a former senior adviser to the president and intimate involvement with Israel and Middle East strategies.