Jared Kushner’s New Fund Plans to Invest Saudi Money in Israel

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WSJ News Exclusive | Jared Kushner’s New Fund Plans to Invest Saudi Money in Israel

Saudi Arabia’s sovereign-wealth fund committed $2 billion to Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners, agreeing to allow investment in Israeli firms for the first time.

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As part of the negotiations to secure the kingdom’s funding, Saudi officials agreed that Affinity Partners could invest in Israeli firms, the people familiar with the firm’s plans said. The kingdom could also open its economy to Israeli businesses via work with Mr. Kushner, they noted.


In talks with Saudi leaders, Mr. Kushner and his team warned them that their country could lose out on access and opportunities in what they called “the Silicon Valley of the Middle East” to neighbors who had signed the Abraham Accords with the country, the people said.

In an interview, Mr. Kushner said he viewed his investment plans as an extension of his work in the White House in advancing ties between Israel and its Arab neighbors, which have long refused to normalize relations with Israel until its leaders agreed to the creation of a Palestinian state.

“If we can get Israelis and Muslims in the region to do business together it will focus people on shared interests and shared values,” he said. “We kicked off historic regional change which needs to be reinforced and nurtured to achieve its potential.”

Mr. Kushner and his team declined to discuss which companies they are working with or how much cash is likely to be directed to Israel. Mr. Kushner also declined to discuss his talks with Prince Mohammed, who oversees the Saudi investment fund’s strategic decisions. People familiar with the talks said Prince Mohammed would have had to approve any decision to invest directly in Israel.