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'Pinocchio has opinions': Jared Kushner faces outrage for saying American Jews are safer in Saudi Arabia than college

Jared Kushner’s remarks came amid ongoing protests in US college campuses over the deadly Israel-Hamas war

NEW YORK, NEW YORK CITY: Jared Kushner has been facing people’s wrath online after claiming that American Jews would be safer in Saudi Arabia than on liberal US college campuses following a flurry of protests over the Israel-Hamas war.

The 42-year-old son-in-law and ex-adviser to former President Donald Trump, who is Jewish himself, made the shocking remarks on Sunday, October 29 after returning from a trip to Saudi Arabia, where he spoke at a conference.

"One of the ironies is that as an American Jew, you're safer in Saudi Arabia right now than you are on a college campus like Columbia University," he claimed during an interview with Fox News host Maria Bartiromo.

He said the proof is in the fact that he was able to speak at a conference in Saudi Arabia this week, noting: "They allowed me to speak freely."

In all likelihood, Kushner would not have been allowed to enter Saudi Arabia if he hadn't been married to Ivanka Trump and was not a former aide to the president.

Saudi Arabia has a long-standing policy of denying entry to anybody with an Israeli passport or stamp; the country's media also targets Jews, alleging they are plotting a global takeover, according to Daily Mail.

Kushner continued by stating that during his Saudi Arabia trip, he got the "sense" that the people and leadership were "disgusted" with Hamas' terrorist attacks despite "having a lot of care for the Palestinian civilians."

"They'd like to see Israel accomplish the mission to make sure that the Hamas could be eliminated. They're against terrorism in the region in general," he stated.

Kushner has been particularly cozy with the Saudis. Following his departure from the Trump administration, the Saudi sovereign wealth fund invested $2 billion in his private equity business.

During his tenure, Kushner even helped mediate the Abraham Accords, which sought to bring about peace in the Middle East and restore ties between Israel and its neighbors.

Climate of protests in US colleges over Israel-Hamas war

Kushner’s remarks came amid ongoing protests in US college campuses over the deadly Israel-Hamas war, which was sparked after the Palestinian militant group bombarded nearly 2000 missiles on the Jewish State, killing more than 1400 citizens and injuring many others.

Earlier this month, hundreds of students demonstrated at Columbia University in New York, when proponents of both sides turned out to voice their disagreement. This led to the closure of Columbia University's campus as a safety precaution.

A number of college administrations faced criticism for how they handled the Israel-Hamas confrontation. Harvard University in Boston faced criticism following the release of a statement by a student club that blamed Israel for the horrific slaughter carried out by Hamas on October 7.

In Washington, DC this week, the Students for Justice in Palestine, a student organization at the George Washington University (GW), projected messages on the school’s German Library before they were shut down by police.

Several universities have also come under fire for upholding professors' freedom of expression following their remarks during the Israel-Hamas war.

More than 40,000 individuals signed a petition to have a Yale University professor fired after the professor called for an open conversation and a respectful community on campus.

Internet's reaction to Jared Kushner’s remarks

Kushner’s remarks have garnered immense social media attention, with users slamming him for claiming that American Jews are safer in Saudi Arabia despite their historic hate of Jewish people.

“Haha. For HIM. He has secret deals with Saudis that pay him billions,” one user said. “Lol - the guy who was given a $2Bn portfolio to manage by Saudi Arabia knows what it's like for an average Jewish person there,” a second person wrote.

“He should move there then. They definitely pay him,” a third user said while a fourth quipped, “Pinocchio has opinions.”

“I suggest Jared go to Saudi Arabia, test whether MbS gives him the Khashogghi treatment that his father-in-law will overlook,” another fumed.

“Then…send your children there for college,” someone said. “Can Jews go to synagogue in Saudi Arabia 🤣 they can’t,” another wrote.