Jared Kushner's Investment Firm Profits from Israeli Arms Companies Amid Peace Talks

Jared Kushner’s investment company Affinity Partners increased its stake in Phoenix Financial, a Tel Aviv firm that channels hundreds of millions into Israel’s top arms maker Elbit Systems and at least eight other defense companies profiting from the Gaza war. In July, Affinity sold a quarter of its Phoenix holdings for more than $340 million, a gain exceeding five times the original purchase price, and Kushner has described Phoenix as the firm’s "best investment" while retaining a 7.4 percent share worth over $1 billion.

As a senior Middle-East adviser in the Trump administration, Kushner has been involved in U.S.-backed peace talks with Israel, Iran and Ukraine, prompting ethics counsel Cynthia Brown to label the arrangement a clear conflict of interest. Kushner’s lawyer denied any influence over Phoenix’s investment decisions and said his contact with the firm’s management had lessened as his diplomatic duties grew. Nonetheless, critics note the overlap between his diplomatic role and the financial gains from companies supplying Israel’s military during the ongoing conflict.