No one should be above criticism or scrutiny. But criticism must be grounded in facts, and serious journalism must distinguish between evidence and speculation.
I know Jared Kushner. I have spoken with him personally on several occasions. I know that he worked hand in hand with Steve Witkoff to bring the Israeli hostages home from captivity in Gaza. I know that Kushner cares deeply about the future of the State of Israel. I also believe that he is one of the few people with real influence in the Trump administration who genuinely cares about the future and welfare of the Palestinian people.
I cannot speak about Kushner’s private business dealings, his financial affairs, or every aspect of his work in the Middle East. I have no firsthand knowledge of those matters, and I will not pretend otherwise.
I can speak to his involvement in efforts to help Israelis and Palestinians. I have witnessed an evolution in his thinking, and in my judgment, that evolution has been for the better. I believe he increasingly understands that Israel’s future cannot be separated from the future of the Palestinian people.
That is why I read with particular interest the extraordinary allegations published in Vanity Fair on October 22, in an article by Matthew Cole concerning Kushner’s alleged secret financial arrangements in the Middle East.
One allegation immediately caught my attention. The article claims that approximately $1 billion was transferred into an account at the Bank of Israel, supposedly connected to Kushner and, according to one source, intended for his personal benefit.
This story has a fundamental problem.
The Bank of Israel is not a commercial bank. It is Israel’s central bank. Private individuals cannot simply open accounts there.
This is not a matter of opinion. It is how the Israeli banking system operates. The Bank of Israel maintains accounts for the government, banking institutions, certain financial entities, and authorized foreign central banks and financial institutions. It does not offer private banking services to individuals, whether they are Israeli citizens, American businessmen, or presidential advisers.
Allegations of private Kushner account incompatible with bank rules
If the allegation is that Kushner personally opened or controlled a private account at the Bank of Israel, it is incompatible with the bank’s published rules.
Could money have moved through an institutional account? That is a different question and would require specific evidence. But the published allegation raises an obvious question that should have been answered before publication: Who was the legal account holder, and how could Kushner supposedly control the funds?
I do not know whether the other financial allegations in the article are true or false. But when an investigation makes an extraordinary claim involving a central bank without adequately explaining how such an arrangement could exist, it raises serious questions about the reliability of its reporting.
Extraordinary allegations require extraordinary scrutiny. They should not be accepted simply because they make sensational headlines.
My defense of Kushner is not based on political loyalty. I have disagreed with American administrations, including this one, on fundamental questions concerning Israel and Palestine. I judge people by what I know of their actions and by whether they contribute to a better future.
In Kushner’s case, I have seen someone willing to engage with difficult realities and to reconsider positions. I have seen someone who understands that diplomacy requires more than repeating established formulas. Most importantly, I believe he recognizes that a sustainable future for Israel must also offer Palestinians dignity, opportunity, and hope.
After decades of working for Israeli-Palestinian peace, I have learned to recognize the difference between people who speak about peace and people who may actually help make it possible.
Kushner increasingly an ally of those seeking peace between Israelis, Palestinians
In my personal judgment, Kushner is increasingly an ally of those of us who have devoted our lives to achieving Israeli-Palestinian peace.
That does not place him above criticism or scrutiny. No one should be above either. But criticism must be grounded in facts, and serious journalism must distinguish between evidence and speculation.
The claim about a private account at the Bank of Israel deserves a clear explanation. Until one is provided, I see no reason to accept it – and every reason to question the credibility of that part of the story.
The writer is the Middle East director of the International Communities Organization and the co-head of the Alliance for Two States.