Jared Kushner’s Impression: The Cunning of a King and the Maturity of a Crown Prince
- Profile of King Mohammed VI: A Pragmatic Strategist
- Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan: Maturity Beyond His Years:
- The Negotiation on the Sahara and the Threat to Break the Agreement:
- The “Deal of the Century” and Morocco's Key Role
- Ivanka Trump's fascination with Morocco
- Conclusion of Kushner's Vision:
Profile of King Mohammed VI: A Pragmatic Strategist
Kushner describes King Mohammed VI not only as a monarch, but as an exceptional strategist and an incredibly astute businessman.
Before his visit, his advisors warned him that the King was a very tough negotiator and that he possessed absolute credibility both inside and outside Morocco. Kushner was impressed by his deep knowledge of details and his pragmatic approach to building alliances and promoting regional stability. For Kushner, the King of Morocco is seen as a leader who is modernizing the country while maintaining a firm grip on the complex geopolitics of the region.
Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan: Maturity Beyond His Years:
The description of the Crown Prince is one of the highlights of the book. Kushner recounts that, during an official dinner, the then-teenager “Moulay El Hassan” was not only present but actively participated in high-level diplomatic conversations. Kushner and his team were amazed by his intellectual maturity and composure. Unlike other children of world leaders he had met, the Crown Prince was completely focused, asked pertinent questions, and demonstrated a complete mastery of the sensitive issue of the Sahara. Kushner described him as “impressive” and predicted that he will be a key leader for the future of Morocco and the region.
The Negotiation on the Sahara and the Threat to Break the Agreement:
This was a crucial moment in the negotiation. Kushner reveals that the Moroccan government was “firm and unyielding”: if Israel opened an embassy in Algeria (a country that supports the Polisario Front), Morocco would immediately cancel the normalization agreement with Israel, and Morocco would never open an Israeli embassy in Rabat without first proclaiming a Palestinian state. This strong stance demonstrated to Kushner the profound importance Morocco attaches to its territorial integrity. After studying the history of the conflict, Kushner came to the personal conclusion that the Moroccan position was legitimate and the most viable for ensuring the security and economic development of the region, describing the Moroccan autonomy plan as “serious and credible.”
The “Deal of the Century” and Morocco's Key Role
Kushner emphasizes that Morocco was an essential partner in the success of the Middle East Peace Plan (known as the “Deal of the Century”). Its stability, influence in the Islamic world, and willingness to engage openly with Israel made it a pillar of the peace strategy. The normalization of relations between Israel and Morocco (Abraham Accords) was not a simple concession, but the recognition of a mutually beneficial strategic alliance.
Ivanka Trump's fascination with Morocco
Kushner adds a personal detail: his wife, Ivanka Trump, was “absolutely fascinated” by Morocco. After her visit, she developed a real obsession with the country's culture, architecture, and landscape. So much so that Kushner jokes that his wife now wants to buy property and undertake business ventures in the Kingdom, demonstrating the positive and lasting impact that the Moroccan experience had on them on a personal level.
Conclusion of Kushner's Vision:
In summary, Jared Kushner paints a picture of Morocco as a stable, secure nation with visionary leadership. His experience led him to see King Mohammed VI as a modern sovereign and formidable negotiator, and the Crown Prince as the promise of a bright future. Morocco's firmness in defending its sovereignty was not seen as an obstacle, but as a sign of the country's seriousness and reliability as a strategic ally of the United States.
Dr. Ayman El Ghazi. Doctor at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Valencia, Spain. President of the Standing Committee on International and Moroccan Relations Worldwide at the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima Regional Council