On Wednesday, Jared Kushner was honored by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) as the architect of the Abraham Accords. He also gave a keynote speech that focused on a multitude of topics pertaining to Jews, including as it pertains to the October 7 attack that Hamas perpetrated against Israel. Kushner also memorably called out radical leftists.
Kushner's speech earned applause lines throughout as he called out antisemitism and celebrated the accomplishments of Jews as "the most successful minority in the history of the world," as well as discussed his own experiences as a Jew.
Perhaps his most memorable moments came towards the end when he directed his remarks to the ADL, as he thanked CEO Jonathan Greenblatt. "When you called me a few weeks ago, asking me to accept an award and address a convention, I expressed my reluctance. I conveyed my honest feedback that I had grown skeptical of the ADL, seeing it more as a political organization, whose condemnations have alienated and then hardened in their resentment, many potential allies," Kushner shared. "However, I believe your genuine expressed desire for a partnership to fight antisemitism that transcends political ideology is badly needed at this time."
"After all, how can we ask others to stand with the Jewish people if we cannot stand with each other?" Kushner asked to applause. "We cannot let this be about politics. This is about the Jews. If Jews cannot look past our partisan beliefs, to acknowledge positive efforts on behalf of the Jewish people, then we will be doomed to history repeating itself as it has time and time again," he continued.
"On October 7, Hamas didn't care if the Jews they were torturing, raping, and killing were liberal or conservative. They killed them simply because they were Jews," Kushner said, bringing it back to that terrible day. "Let's not waste our energy in the wrong places. The people who have supported, defended, and uplifted the Jews are not our enemies because of a careless tweet or a silly meme. We should be welcoming the allyship of those who wish to stand with us, regardless of their politics."
In part of his remarks that received passionate reactions, Kushner also mentioned the accomplishments of his father-in-law, former President Donald Trump.
As he shared his own personal experiences with Trump, including how he gave his blessing when it came to his daughter, Ivanka, converting to Judaism, Kushner made clear "you can think whatever you like about Donald Trump, but he's not an antisemite." He also noted that "the condemnation by some Jewish groups" of Trump "was confusing."
In addition to the Abraham Accords, the administration had other high points when it comes to America's relationship with Israel.
"The results of his presidency speak loudly. When Donald Trump was president, Israel signed five peace deals with its neighbors. Iran and its proxies were suffocating under punishing sanctions. The Golan Heights was returned to Israel, and he did what previous presidents had promised but failed to do, which is he moved the American embassy to Jerusalem, and finally recognized it as the capital of the Jewish state of Israel," Kushner reminded to applause.
"He also did something which was not as recognized at the time, but he's getting a lot more appreciation paid to it now, which is he foresaw the brewing antisemitism on college campuses and signed an essential executive order on combating antisemitism, that was supported by the ADL, to force universities to provide equal protection to Jewish students who were being discriminated against," Kushner also mentioned about Trump. "There are now several actions being taken thanks to the rules that were put in place under that executive order. These efforts should be recognized by all Jews and built upon."
Kushner also called out plenty of other radical leftists, including those who engage in a "double standard" by protesting Israel but not other nations.
"The primary battlefield, where the most intense antisemitism festers, is in the opposition to the existence of the State of Israel," Kushner made clear. "Israel's a vibrant democracy in the Middle East, a military superpower, an economic and technological force, and one of the most forward leaning environmental stewards on Earth. Israel is the only country that has more trees today than it had 50 years ago," he said. "And in Israel, you can practice whatever religion you want, and live whatever lifestyle you choose. Shouldn’t progressive social advocates be celebrating this?"
"When women were brutally raped on October 7, most liberal women's groups in America stayed silent," Kushner reminded. "Organizations that fight for LGBT rights condemned the country that allows freedom and marched for a terrorist organization that punishes gay people with death. Where were these voices a protest when Syria killed 500,000 of their citizens, or just weeks ago, when Pakistani authorities displaced 375,000 Afghan refugees? The condemnations you're hearing on college campuses is not about Palestinians. It is about Jews," Kushner pointed out.
The United Nations received a specific dishonorable mention, as Kushner mentioned it "has unfortunately become the Grand Cathedral of antisemitism. The advocates in the complex across town espouse their virtues and explain how they are sophisticated, compassionate people doing important work to make the world a better place. But numbers don't lie."
Kushner came armed with statistics, as he also pointed out how of the 193 member states, Israel is the only Jewish state. While Israel was officially condemned 14 times last year, the rest of the world combined was only condemned seven times. Meanwhile, there were no resolutions against truly problematic nations.
"Since the creation of the UN Human Rights Council in 2006, there have been nearly as many resolutions condemning Israel as for the entire rest of the world combined," Kushner added. "The 45 resolutions against Israel made up almost half of all the country-specific resolutions passed in the UN HRC." He also spoke to the 226 UN Security resolutions against Israel since 1948, while there have only been 21 against North Korea and seven against Iran.
"Something doesn't make any sense here," Kushner said, with the audience signaling their agreement via applause.
He had special condemnation for the UNRWA as well, "the organization that has received over $6 billion in funding from America alone" and "has now been proved to have terrorists on its payroll and military installations integrated into and protected by its facilities."
"Its existence has perpetuated this problem, and it must be eliminated for progress to be made," Kushner declared. "This is a double standard. Those yelling the loudest or aggrieved minorities and for equality have been at best silent on this double standard, and at worst, leading the charge in its opposition. I challenge the United Nations to take a single year off from focusing on the sole Jewish member state and instead work on some of the other vexing problems we have in the world."
Another major applause line came when he said, "Success as I define it is not to fight, success is having nothing to fight about." He even included universities as those who can "find their way back to the right course."
Those who Kushner considered allies also received a mention and applause, when it comes to efforts "to strengthen and celebrate the many mutually beneficial relationships with groups from other backgrounds," especially Evangelicals.
Kushner only just recently met Evangelicals, during the 2016 campaign. "I can assure you, they were much different than what I imagined. When you have people that likes you so much, we should be making more effort to get to know them to get to understand them, and to build those relationships further. We can all do better by keeping an open mind in open door and an open heart," he said.
Kushner closed his speech in part with a message from Palestinians as well. As he noted he's "personally grateful to the many non-Jews who have stood up and publicly been counted as allies to the Jewish people," Kushner also shared, "My heart goes out to the Palestinian people," noting "they could use better friends as well" and that "supporters, who wish to see them thrive, are wasting their efforts by scapegoating Israel," adding "they must demand accountability from Palestinian leaders and expect civil behavior from the citizenry."
"Let me close by saying that the Jewish people have more power today to bring change than most of us appreciate," Kushner said on a hopeful note. "Only by learning from the past and working together, the goal to identify address and eradicate antisemitism can be achieved. We have proven through the Abraham Accords that have held firm during the months of this bloody war in the region, and through centuries of mostly peaceful coexistence through the broader Middle East, that Jews and Muslims have a desire to return to the pre-World War II days of living side by side as brothers. After all, most human beings desire peace and harmony. Let us honor the legacy of the 1,200 Jews who died on October 7 by using this tragedy to activate Jews from around the world to address the dangers that we have sadly ignored. By shifting course, future tragedies can be avoided. And their lives and the lives of the non-Jews who have died in this conflict will not have been lost in vain."
My remarks today on the state of antisemitism at the@ADL annual convention. I appreciate their recognition of the positive impact the Abraham Accords have played to combat anti-semitism and bring stability to the world.
— Jared Kushner (@jaredkushner) March 6, 2024
“I believe that a small fraction of anti-semitism comes… pic.twitter.com/VaMdgyr1ef