|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Edited by: Fern Sidman
Jared Kushner, former senior White House adviser and son-in-law to Donald Trump, has made a rare public statement advocating against a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. The Times of Israel has reported that in the wake of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah’s assassination on September 27, Kushner has strongly urged that Israel should be allowed to fully dismantle the Iranian-backed terrorist group, despite mounting pressure from the Biden administration for a ceasefire in the region.
In a tweet that has since gained significant traction, Kushner emphasized the critical importance of Israel’s ongoing military operations in neutralizing Hezbollah’s long-standing threat.
In the lengthy post on X.com (formerly Twitter) Kushner opined that September 27 — (the date that Israel eliminated Nasrallah in Beirut) as “the most important day in the Middle East since the Abraham Accords breakthrough.”
September 27th is the most important day in the Middle East since the Abraham Accords breakthrough.
I have spent countless hours studying Hezbollah and there is not an expert on earth who thought that what Israel has done to decapitate and degrade them was possible.
This is…
— Jared Kushner (@jaredkushner) September 29, 2024
“Iran is now fully exposed. The reason why their nuclear facilities have not been destroyed, despite weak air defense systems, is because Hezbollah has been a loaded gun pointed at Israel. Iran spent the last forty years building this capability as its deterrent,” Kushner continued in his post, according to the TOI report.
“Anyone advocating for a ceasefire in the north is mistaken,” Kushner tweeted “Israel cannot afford to stop now; they must dismantle the arsenal aimed at them. This opportunity won’t come again.” Kushner’s statement reflects his long-standing view that Israel must capitalize on this moment to weaken Iranian influence through Hezbollah, a sentiment that has resonated with key figures in Trump’s political circle.
Kushner’s post was swiftly retweeted by influential figures, including former U.S. ambassador to Israel David Friedman, Wyoming Senator John Barrasso, and senior Fox News analyst Brit Hume. Many of these individuals have maintained a close relationship with the Trump administration and are seen as potential key players in a future Trump White House. The TOI report noted that Friedman, in particular, has been an ardent supporter of Israel’s right to defend itself, and his quick endorsement of Kushner’s call signals alignment with a more aggressive U.S. posture toward Iran and its proxies in the region.
Kushner, who was instrumental in brokering the Abraham Accords during Trump’s presidency, has maintained that this is a pivotal moment for Israel’s security. His rare public intervention suggests that, despite his stated intention not to return to the White House should Trump be re-elected, his influence among key conservative and pro-Israel figures remains considerable.
For Kushner, the killing of Nasrallah represents not only a major tactical victory for Israel but a historic moment in the decades-long conflict between Israel and Iran’s proxy forces.
Kushner continued by writing, “More than 40 years ago, Hezbollah killed 241 US military personnel, including 220 Marines. That remains the single deadliest day for the U.S. Marine Corps since the Battle of Iwo Jima. Later that same day, Hezbollah killed 58 French paratroopers.
And now, over the past six weeks or so, Israel has eliminated as many terrorists on the US list of wanted terrorists as the US has done in the last 20 years. Including Ibrahim Aqil, the leader of Hezbollah’s Islamic Jihad Organization who masterminded the 1983 killing of those Marines.”
He added that, “After the brilliant, rapid-fire tactical successes of the pagers, radios, and targeting of leadership, Hezbollah’s massive weapon cache is unguarded and unmanned. Most of Hezbollah fighters are hiding in their tunnels. Anyone still around was not important enough to carry a pager or be invited to a leadership meeting. Iran is reeling, as well, insecure and unsure how deeply its own intelligence has been penetrated. Failing to take full advantage of this opportunity to neutralize the threat is irresponsible.
I have been hearing some amazing stories about how Israel has been collecting intelligence over the past 10 months with some brilliant technology and crowdsourcing initiatives.
But today, with the confirmed killing of Nasrallah and at least 16 top commanders eliminated in just nine days, was the first day I started thinking about a Middle East without Iran’s fully loaded arsenal aimed at Israel. So many more positive outcomes are possible.”
The TOI report noted that Kushner sees this as a chance for Israel to not only address the threat from Hezbollah but also deal a decisive blow to Hamas in Gaza, effectively diminishing two of Iran’s primary tools for destabilizing the region. While Kushner acknowledged the tragic circumstances that have brought Israel to this point, he suggested that there is a “silver lining” in the form of an unprecedented opportunity to reshape the regional security landscape.
“This fight isn’t only Israel’s,” Kushner wrote, insisting that Hezbollah’s influence extends far beyond Israel and represents a broader threat to Western interests.
In urging the U.S. to support Israel in “finishing the job,” Kushner’s statement is seen as a direct challenge to the Biden administration’s calls for a ceasefire. President Biden and senior officials have voiced concerns that an escalation with Hezbollah could lead to wider regional instability, but Kushner and his allies believe that the only way to secure long-term peace is through decisive military action. As Ynet.com reports, Kushner’s call for continued U.S. backing of Israel echoes the policies of the Trump administration, which took a hardline stance against Iranian influence in the Middle East.
The broader question that emerges from Kushner’s intervention is whether the U.S. and its allies will seize this moment to support Israel in its fight against Hezbollah, or whether calls for a ceasefire will lead to a de-escalation that leaves the group intact. The report in the TOI indicated that the Biden administration’s position is driven by concerns over a wider regional war, but Kushner and his supporters argue that failing to act decisively now could allow Hezbollah and Iran to regroup, prolonging the conflict and endangering Israeli and Western interests alike.
