The Palestinian Authority has boycotted the U.S. peace effort since late 2017 when Trump decided to move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, reversing decades of U.S. policy.
The Palestinian Authority declined to comment on Greenblatt’s departure. “Greenblatt’s resignation is proof of his failure, because he did not follow the rules of the peace process and damaged the United States’ credibility as a result,” a Palestinian official in Ramallah told Reuters.
The political details of the plan have remained under wraps, with Kushner refusing to say even whether it would offer Palestinians a state of their own.
Greenblatt will hand over much of his Middle East responsibilities to Kushner aide Avi Berkowitz. Brian Hook, the leader of the State Department’s Iran team, will take on an increased role, a senior administration official said.
Hook has accompanied Greenblatt and Kushner on trips to the region. In a July statement, Greenblatt and Hook argued that Tehran has exploited the Mideast conflict for decades, backing Palestinian militants.
Greenblatt, a former lawyer for Trump, said he was grateful to have been part of the team to draft “a vision for peace.”
“This vision has the potential to vastly improve the lives of millions of Israelis, Palestinians and others in the region,” he said in a statement.
Greenblatt has been a player in all of Trump’s moves aimed at bolstering support for Israel, such as the U.S. recognition of both Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights.
The developing peace plan, which Greenblatt and others have kept secret, is viewed skeptically among many in the Arab world because of expectations it will be a pro-Israel vision. The U.S. team says the plan will require concessions from the Israelis.
Kushner, in a statement, said Greenblatt “has done a tremendous job leading the efforts to develop an economic and political vision for a long sought after peace in the Middle East.”
