Tel Aviv - White House adviser Jared Kushner met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv on Thursday, part of a US-led effort to rekindle the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
Kushner, who is also US President Donald Trump's son-in-law, is expected to meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah on Thursday evening. Palestinian officials, including Abbas, have recently expressed dismay about Washington's approach to the peace process.
"The president is very committed to achieving a solution that will be able to bring prosperity and peace to all people in this area," Kushner said at the opening of the meeting.
US envoy for international negotiations Jason Greenblatt and deputy national security advisor Dina Powell also attended the meeting.
Trump took office speaking of an "ultimate deal" that could be struck between the Israelis and Palestinians. However, Palestinian leaders have voiced criticism saying that the US has not clearly committed itself to the two-state solution, which would see a Palestinian state established in the West Bank and Gaza alongside Israel.
Former US ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro told reporters this week that Netanyahu, who faces multiple corruption investigations, and Abbas, who faces internal Palestinian political pressures, do not appear motivated to participate in a serious peace process.
Shapiro said the US should "recalibrate" the US team's efforts from striking a peace deal to Palestinian institution building and economic development to prepare the Palestinians for future statehood.