Johnson ‘drops in’ on Raab’s meeting with Donald Trump’s son-in-law
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
The Prime Minister “dropped in” on a meeting between Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab and senior White House adviser Jared Kushner, Downing Street has confirmed.
Boris Johnson’s spokesman told reporters during a briefing that he had made a “short drop-in” during talks at the Foreign Office between Mr Raab and Mr Kushner about the situation in the Middle East.
Mr Kushner, who is US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, arrived in London having this week travelled on a high-level Israeli delegation to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on the first direct commercial passenger flight between the two countries.
The flight traversed Saudi air space following a US-brokered deal by the UAE to normalise relations with Israel.
Number 10 defended the Conservative Party leader’s decision to join a meeting with a figure so close to Mr Trump now that campaigning for the next presidential election has stepped up before the November poll.
Mr Trump is fighting for a second term in the Oval Office against a challenge from Democratic rival Joe Biden.
“It was specifically a discussion about the Middle East peace process, which I think we all would agree it is important we continue to be fully engaged in that work,” the Prime Minister’s spokesman said.
Asked whether the Prime Minister would be “endorsing” Mr Trump in the November election, the No 10 spokesman said: “The long-standing position in the UK is that elections are a matter for the electors of that particular country.”
The Foreign Office said Mr Johnson and Mr Raab used the meeting with the US aide to reiterate the UK’s support for a two-state solution in the Middle East.
A spokesman for the department said: “The Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary met with US senior adviser to the president Jared Kushner to discuss the Middle East peace process following Mr Kushner’s recent visit to the region.
“They welcomed the historic Israel-UAE normalisation deal and discussed wider US efforts to facilitate the normalisation of ties between Israel and Arab states.
“The Foreign Secretary updated Mr Kushner on his recent visit to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and his encouragement of a return to co-operation between the Israeli and Palestinian leaderships, as a first step on the road to a renewed Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
“The Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary were clear about their commitment to a negotiated two-state solution.”
Woody Johnson, the US ambassador to the UK, tweeted after the Foreign Office meeting had taken place that he had met with Mr Kushner for breakfast at his residence near London’s Regent’s Park.
“Great to have Jared Kushner and team at Winfield House for breakfast – congratulations on moving peace & prosperity forward in the Middle East!” he tweeted.
