WASHINGTON—The Heritage Foundation will adopt and carry on the mission of the Abraham Accords Peace Institute (AAPI) after the Institute’s dissolution, effective today. AAPI was a nonpartisan, non-profit dedicated to supporting the implementation and expansion of the Abraham Accords—a historic set of agreements between Israel and Arab countries made during the first Trump administration.
Robert Greenway, director of the Allison Center for National Security at The Heritage Foundation, will chair the initiative.
Heritage President Dr. Kevin Roberts celebrated the announcement:
“Heritage welcomes the opportunity to carry on the mission of the renowned Abraham Accords Peace Institute—an organization that has had immense positive impacts on regional stability in the Middle East and national security here at home.
“Uniting AAPI’s unique perspective and network with Heritage’s deep policy and security expertise will advance the peace process in the region for a safer and more prosperous America.”
Current AAPI leaders Asher Fredman and David Aaronson will join Heritage as visiting fellows.
Initially founded by President Donald Trump’s former Senior Advisor Jared Kushner, the organization has been instrumental in promoting these peace deals in the Middle East and ensuring the renewed regional relationships reach their full potential. Heritage’s acquisition of the group’s initiative and its remaining personnel is part of a broader investment into Israel and the region’s future—both of which are vital to America’s national security.
Former Senior Advisor to President Trump and Founder of AAPI, Jared Kushner, commented:
“I’m grateful for the excellent work the Abraham Accords Peace Institute performed to nurture and strengthen the Accords during a period when they were new and most vulnerable. I am very excited to see what the team will accomplish at its new home.”
Several of the institute’s key players have been recruited to join the Trump administration, including AAPI CEO Aryeh Lightstone, who will join the team of Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff.
Lightstone, who served as senior advisor to U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman from 2017 to 2021, added:
“During the last four years, the Abraham Accords Peace Institute has successfully carried out its mission of solidifying and strengthening the Abraham Accords and setting the stage for its further expansion. The early days of that effort—when these relationships were nascent, and the Biden administration refused to recognize their significance or even call the Accords by their given name—were the most challenging.
“Our team executed well, and helped weave the Accords into the fabric of the Middle East, where the agreements have endured even amid regional conflict.
“With the Trump Administration’s focus on strengthening and expanding the Accords, the mission of the AAPI as a stand-alone institute is complete and the primary responsibilities of strengthening and expanding the Accords will move to its proper home – the administration.
“Several of its data collection functions, as well as the efforts to coordinate the many complementary and supporting efforts to the current administration, will continue under the leadership of Robert Greenway, who helped found the institute. I'd like to thank the board for helping make this progress possible.”
Dr. Victoria Coates, vice president of the Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Institute for National Security and Foreign Policy at The Heritage Foundation, remarked:
“It is an honor for Heritage to carry on Jared’s trailblazing work to bring security and prosperity to the Middle East through the integration of Israel with America’s regional partners and allies. Rob and I look forward to continued close collaboration his team as we pursue new opportunities to support peace initiatives in the Middle East and beyond.”
Robert Greenway, director of the Allison Center for National Security at The Heritage Foundation, and former president and executive director of AAPI, concluded:
“It was a tremendous honor and privilege to have been part of the Trump administration’s team that negotiated the Abraham Accords and helped guide the AAPI from its foundation.
“Since the signing of the Accords in 2020, AAPI has connected people and organizations between the Abraham Accords countries and tracked its progress, while identifying opportunities and challenges. It is a privilege to continue its vital work.”
Background:
Heritage remains committed to expanding and strengthening normalization efforts in the Middle East. In addition to this latest acquisition, Heritage has recently added its first international-based senior research fellow in Jerusalem, Eugene Kontorovich, and senior policy analyst for the Middle East and Northern Africa, Daniel Flesch.
