Dr. Massad Boulos, Tiffany Trump’s father-in-law, poses for a portrait at the Wall Street Hotel in New York, September 4, 2024. (Jeenah Moon for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

(JTA) — WASHINGTON — Massad Boulos, President-elect Donald Trump’s adviser on Arab and Middle East affairs, said the United States should discuss developing a “road map” to a Palestinian state they hope to establish relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

Saudi officials have long made clear that they would not establish ties with Israel absent progress toward a Palestinian state. But for Boulos — a Lebanese-American billionaire and father-in-law of Trump’s daughter, Tiffany — emphasizing the point is significant because other Trump appointees, in addition to Trump himself, are considered close to the Israeli right, which rejects the Palestinians. independence.

“I think the question of a road map that would lead to a Palestinian state is an important part of the discussions between the United States and Saudi Arabia,” Boulos said in a statement. in-depth interview last week with Le Pointa French magazine. “It’s certainly a very important point.”

Boulos, 53, framed the focus on Palestinian statehood in terms of expanding the Abraham Accords, the 2020 normalization agreements between Israel and four Arab countries that were Trump’s main peace achievement. foreign policy during his first term.

Trump has repeatedly spoken about expanding the Abraham Accords. In the interview, Boulos said many other countries would establish ties with Israel if Saudi Arabia did so.

“It is important to remember that Saudi Arabia is not demanding the creation of a Palestinian state today, but it is asking for a vision and a road map for that, that’s all,” he said. he declared. “Today, the president’s priority is to resume discussions on the Abraham Accords, with of course Saudi Arabia as a priority. Because we know very well, and the president has said this, that once we agree with Saudi Arabia on Israel, there will be at least 12 Arab countries that will be immediately ready to follow suit. »

It is unclear how much influence Boulos will have with Trump. Another relative, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, spearheaded the Abraham Accords during Trump’s first term, in addition to taking positions on a wide range of other issues. Boulos had campaigned for Trump in Michigan, which has a large Arab-American population and which the president-elect won.

“Massad is an accomplished lawyer and highly respected leader in the business world, with extensive experience on the international stage,” Trump said in announcing Boulos’ position on Truth Social, the platform Trump owns. “He is a long-time defender of Republican and conservative values, an asset to my campaign, and has been instrumental in building great new coalitions with the Arab American community. Massad is a negotiator and steadfast supporter of PEACE in the Middle East.

Before Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, triggering the Israeli war on several fronts, a deal with Saudi Arabia was also one of the main goals of President Joe Biden as well as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.. But Netanyahu opposes the creation of a Palestinian state and has doubled down on his position since the October 7 attack. Most Israelis also oppose the creation of a Palestinian state.

Also Mike Huckabee is opposed to a Palestinian stateTrump’s choice for ambassador to Israel, which maintains that Israel perpetually controls the West Bank, which would preclude the creation of a Palestinian state. Trump’s former ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, also supports Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

Trump has also appointed pro-Israel hawks to other key positions, including Florida Rep. Mike Waltz as national security adviser; Representative Elise Stefanik as United Nations Ambassador; Fox News pundit Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense and Marco Rubio as Secretary of State.

Boulos did not respond to calls from far-right figures in Netanyahu’s coalition for annexation of the West Bank, but said that starting with Trump’s inauguration on January 20, there would be a “very clear and precise policy on this issue, and which must be respected.” .”

Before the signing of the Abraham Accords, Trump proposed a peace plan that would have allowed for expanded Palestinian autonomy in the West Bank – although Israeli settlements would have remained in place and Israel would have exercised security control over the entire the area.

Palestinian leaders immediately rejected the proposal because it did not grant them a state – but Boulos believes it amounted to endorsing a Palestinian state.

“If you look at the plan proposed in 2020 by President Trump, he spoke very clearly about a possible Palestinian state,” he said.

On Iran, Boulos echoed Trump saying there should be a new nuclear deal to replace the one Trump withdrew from in 2018 at Netanyahu’s request. Boulos also noted that Trump did not talk about regime change in Iran. “He did not talk about regime change, only a nuclear deal, and said he was ready to negotiate with the current regime,” he said.

Boulos was cautious in the interview, repeatedly saying he didn’t want to say too much before Trump took office, citing a belief that the United States should only have one president at a time . This contrasts with Trump, who already pursues an aggressive foreign policy.

“As you know, we are still in a transition period and we do not really have the right to interfere in American foreign policy, as long as the Biden administration is still in power and guiding American diplomacy,” he said. said Boulos.