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Dec. 21 (UPI) -- White House Senior Adviser Jared Kushner called Monday for an end to "scapegoating" Israel. President Donald Trump's son-in-law made the remarks while in Israel with other senior White House staff ahead of a trip from Israel to Morocco Tuesday to solidify Israel's normalization deal with Morocco.
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"Scapegoating, anti-Semitism, and isolating Israel have led to destructive behavior that has held the world back for far too long," Kushner said. "I urge the world as it goes forward to take the time to understand Israel's perspective and to ask yourself if you would make the compromises Israel has been asked to make if you were in the prime minister's shoes."
Earlier this month, Morocco became the fourth Arab country to normalize relations with Israel since this summer, following the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Sudan.
"As part of the deal, Morocco will establish full diplomatic relations and resume official contacts with Israel," Kushner said at the time. "They will grant overflights and direct flights to and from Israel for all Israelis."
In a press conference Monday with Kushner, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked the Trump administration for negotiating the normalization deals, along with recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital, and moving its embassy from Tel Aviv. The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem also dedicated its courtyard on Monday to Kushner for leading the Trump administration's Middle East peace efforts.
The Trump administration recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital three years ago, a move that many leaders in the Muslim world condemned with some suggesting the United States could lose its standing as a mediator in a peace process.
"In 2017, President Trump was strongly warned that recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel would set off an explosion in the Middle East," Kushner said Monday in a tree-planting ceremony in the capital's Grove of Nations honoring his peace efforts. "As it turned out, there has been an explosion, just not the kind of explosion the experts thought might happen. President Trump's bold decisions led to an explosion of peace."
During the planting ceremony, Netanyahu thanked Kushner for his peace efforts.
"In planting this garden, we'll make sure that future generations know what your contribution has been," Netanyahu said.
Netanyahu also asked Kushner to thank Morocco's King Mohammed VI for the normalization deal.
"Please give him my warmest regards and the regards of the entire people of Israel for the brave and historic decision he has made, again under the leadership of President Trump and your important personal role in making these things happen," Netanyahu said.
