Attorney Alan Dershowitz, who served on the legal team representing former President Trump during his first impeachment, has nominated the former president’s son-in-law and former top White House adviser Jared Kushner for the Nobel Peace Prize, according to a Reuters report.
Dershowitz, in a letter sent to the Nobel committee, argued that the work by Kushner and his deputy Avi Berkowitz in helping negotiate diplomatic relations between Israel and Arab nations is worthy of the distinction.
“The Nobel Peace Prize is not for popularity. Nor is it an assessment of what the international community may think of those who helped bring about peace,” Dershowitz wrote. “It is an award for fulfilling the daunting criteria set out by Alfred Nobel in his will.”
Dershowitz is eligible to nominate individuals for the Nobel prize based on his status as a professor emeritus at Harvard Law School, the outlet reported.
Dershowitz, who is a contributor at The Hill, also cited the work of two others during the peace talks: former U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman and former Israeli Ambassador to the United States Ron Dermer.
Announced in August, the “Abraham Accords” was the first official peace deal normalizing relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates in decades.
“We encourage efforts to promote interfaith and intercultural dialogue to advance a culture of peace among the three Abrahamic religions and all humanity,” the U.S. says of the deal on a state department website. “We believe that the best way to address challenges is through cooperation and dialogue and that developing friendly relations among States advances the interests of lasting peace in the Middle East and around the world.”
In a statement to Reuters, Kushner said he was “honored” by the nomination.
Trump and his supporters pointed to the deal as one of his key accomplishments during his single term in office.
Dershowitz defended Trump against two articles of impeachment brought against him in early 2020 following a scandal stemming from a conversation he had with the leader of Ukraine.