Trump’s Mideast Trio Makes Unannounced Weekend Visit to Saudi Arabia

President Donald Trump’s Mideast trio, led by son-in-law Jared Kushner, made an unannounced visit to Saudi Arabia over the weekend. Kushner was joined by chief foreign negotiator Jason Greenblatt and deputy national security adviser Dina Powell, the only one of the three with foreign affairs experience. The junket was the third to Riyadh this year, lending credence to reports that have emanated from the Palestinians that the Trump formula for an Israeli-Palestinian rapprochement begins in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf. One report The Media Line received speaks of securing a limited but tangible agreement between Israel and the Sunni-majority Gulf States before any deal is concluded between Israel and the Palestinians. According to Politico, which broke the story, while Kushner returned to the US on Saturday, Greenblatt continued on to Amman, Cairo, Ramallah and Jerusalem. While Kushner gets the headlines, and is touted as the mission leader, novice diplomat Greenblatt has so far proven to be the driving force of the team. Although inexperienced in foreign affairs, Trump’s longtime in-house attorney is a skilled negotiator who has impressed all sides since his first trip to the region following the Trump inauguration. Sources in Ramallah have told The Media Line that Greenblatt “impressed with his openness and ability to listen.”