Jared Kushner Gaza role draws scrutiny over investments tied to Israeli defense firms - report

Jared Kushner, son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump and a pivotal figure in Gaza ceasefire negotiations, finds himself embroiled in controversy due to indirect financial ties with Israeli defense firms, according to a CNN investigation. Kushner's private investment firm, Affinity Partners, is the largest shareholder in Phoenix Financial, a company with significant investments in nine entities linked to Israeli military operations, including manufacturers of ammunition, drones, vessels, and engineering equipment.

The most substantial investment of $265 million is in Elbit Systems, while other major investments include NextVision ($68 million), Reshef Technologies ($40 million), Israel Shipyards, Ashot Ashkelon, Boeing, and Caterpillar.

Although Kushner does not hold direct shares in these companies, Affinity Partners may benefit from their profits through its investment in Phoenix. In July, the company sold a quarter of its holdings for over $340 million, yielding returns more than five times the initial investment. Post-sale, Affinity retained a 7.4% stake valued at over $1 billion.

This financial entanglement raises concerns about potential conflicts of interest in Kushner's diplomatic efforts surrounding the Gaza ceasefire. The investigation, based on Israeli financial documents and transparency regulations, uncovered the extent of these ties. However, CNN emphasized that it found no evidence suggesting Kushner's diplomatic work directly influenced the examined investments.

Kushner's team maintains that his private business decisions were unrelated to his voluntary diplomatic efforts, and the White House echoed this stance, stating that Kushner's private interests were separate from his diplomatic role at the president's request.