White House Special Mideast Envoy Jason Greenblatt is planning to resign from the Trump administration and return to his private law practice in New Jersey, i24NEWS learned on Thursday.
According to officials with knowledge of the decision, Greenblatt "intended to work in the Trump administration for two years, and so far it has been two-and-a-half years."
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The officials added that he will still be at work when the full peace plan is released by President Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, with hopes that it will be publicized soon after Israel's September 17 election. Greenblatt has not set a specific date for his departure.
"Jason has been instrumental in helping to re-frame the discussions about the conflict, using the approach that a real peace can only be built on truth," one senior White House official told i24NEWS.
"Jason has also played an important role in encouraging and developing the relationships between Israel and its neighbors in the region," the unnamed source added.
Discussions over Greenblatt's departure began at the end of 2018, with White House officials taking several steps to ensure a smooth transition that includes ushering in Deputy Assistant to the President Avi Berkowitz into a larger role concerning the Mideast peace process.
Administration officials noted that the White House has additionally "integrated the special envoy team with the Iran team at the State Department" as it takes a more comprehensive approach towards the challenges in the region.
i24NEWS has learned that the White House does not expect that their plan will immediately lead to Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations, but believe that their plan "can change the conversation in the region" and hopefully open avenues towards a solution to the conflict.
Greenblatt, 52, also cited a desire to spend more time with his wife and six children as a reason for his departure.
This article was originally published by i24NEWS.
