Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Trump Envoy Swayed Netanyahu More In One Meeting Than Biden Did All Year On Gaza Peace

Update(1445ET): Even Israeli media is very clearly attributing achievement of the Gaza ceasefire deal to President-elect Donald Trump and his team. President Biden too at one point in an afternoon press conference hailing the deal acknowledged that he spoke as 'one team' with Trump on the Gaza deal. According to The Times of Israel:

A "tense" weekend meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and incoming Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff led to a breakthrough in the hostage negotiations, with the top aide to US President-elect Donald Trump doing more to sway the premier in a single sit-down than outgoing President Joe Biden did all year, two Arab officials told The Times of Israel on Tuesday.

Witkoff has been in Doha for the past week to take part in the hostage negotiations, as mediators try to secure a deal before Trump’s January 20 inauguration. On Saturday, Witkoff flew to Israel for a meeting with Netanyahu at the premier’s Jerusalem office.

During the meeting, Witkoff urged Netanyahu to accept key compromises necessary for an agreement, the two Arab officials on Monday told The Times of Israel on condition of anonymity. Neither Witkoff nor Netanyahu’s office responded to requests for comment.

As expected, Biden disagrees with this assessment...

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has yet to make a public statement. Interestingly, Trump was the first leader to hail the deal, attributing it largely to his election victory in November and anticipation of his entering the Oval Office next Monday (see below).

But Biden chalked it up to his own diplomacy: "This deal will halt the fighting in Gaza, surge much-needed humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians and reunite the hostages with their families after more than 15 months in captivity," he said in the statement.

The US president said Wednesday's agreement "not only of the extreme pressure that Hamas has been under and the changed regional equation after a ceasefire in Lebanon and weakening of Iran — but also of dogged and painstaking American diplomacy. He claimed, "My diplomacy never ceased in their efforts to get this done." Many political analysts, including Glenn Greenwald, would beg to differ.

An initial Hamas statement is meanwhile celebrating this as a 'win' over the Israeli military machine, which has been unable to root out the Islamist insurgency in the strip. Words from Hamas leadership praised "the legendary steadfastness of the great Palestinian people and the valiant resistance in the Gaza Strip."

Hamas is for the first time coming out publicly in the streets of Gaza, as a deal finally looks legit at this point...

Still there are reports of intensified Israeli bombing in parts of Gaza, merely hours before the deal is expected to go into effect, which will see the release of hostages and an exchange for many dozens of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

Meanwhile, Nassim Taleb makes a great point, stating on X that

...with Kamala there is a near-certainty of more wars coupled with a lot of bullshit about "peace" initiatives. With Trump (rather, Trump-Vance) there is a possibility of peace coupled with loud saber rattling.

Indeed, if the truce holds, it will likely go down in the history books as a victory for Trump's early diplomacy. Progressives too have been wondering what took the Biden White House so long, given also that virtually the same deal was on the table previously this summer, and it collapsed.

Israeli lawmakers and ministers are expected to vote on approving the deal on Thursday morning, but a lot can happen between now and then.

* * *

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has informed relatives of hostages kidnapped by Hamas that the end of the war in Gaza is near, amid reports that a ceasefire and hostage exchange deal has been reached. A formal deal could be announced within hours, he has said.

Axios reports Wednesday morning, "A breakthrough has been reached in the negotiations between Israel and Hamas in Doha and a deal to release hostages held by Hamas and establish a ceasefire in Gaza is imminent, three Israeli officials told Axios."

 "There is a breakthrough in the hostage deal negotiations in Doha. Hamas' military leader in Gaza Mohammed Sinwar gave his OK," one Israeli official was cited as saying. And importantly, a statement from Trump's team:

'We have a deal': Trump hails Gaza peace accord

In a quick follow-up statement on Truth Social, president-elect Trump underscored the unmistakable timing, attributing the deal to his election win in November. Below is his statement in full [emphasis ZH]:

This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November, as it signaled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our Allies. I am thrilled American and Israeli hostages will be returning home to be reunited with their families and loved ones.

With this deal in place, my National Security team, through the efforts of Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, will continue to work closely with Israel and our Allies to make sure Gaza NEVER again becomes a terrorist safe haven. We will continue promoting PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH throughout the region, as we build upon the momentum of this ceasefire to further expand the Historic Abraham Accords. This is only the beginning of great things to come for America, and indeed, the World!

We have achieved so much without even being in the White House. Just imagine all of the wonderful things that will happen when I return to the White House, and my Administration is fully confirmed, so they can secure more Victories for the United States!

The impending deal reportedly lays out an initial six week ceasefire phase which includes gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Central Gaza as well as the return of displaced Palestinians to North Gaza.

Of the some 100 hostages still held by Hamas, at least one-third are believed already deceased. Dozens were released upon an initial deal struck early in the conflict.

Like with the first hostage exchange, dozens of Palestinian prisoners are expected to be released under this new agreement in return for each Israeli hostage.

According to the latest on where things stand via Axios:

  • A second Israeli official said there is optimism that a deal could be announced by Thursday at the latest.
  • The Israeli prime minister's office said in a statement that Hamas hasn't given it's approval for the deal.
  • Hamas still hasn't issued an official statement, but a Palestinian source quoted by Al-Araby al-Jadeed website said the group and other factions in Gaza have a unified position and have given a positive response to the draft ceasefire agreement.

Netanyahu's office has still said it has not received official word from Hamas on whether it has agreed to the deal.

"Both Reuters and AFP reported that Hamas had given verbal approval for the deal, citing Palestinian sources. According to Reuters, the terror group had not yet given a written response to the ceasefire proposal," Times of Israel also underscores. Additionally:

Channel 12 quoted an Israeli official saying that "there has been a breakthrough," and assessed that a deal could be signed later in the day.

Ministers is Netanyahu's cabinet are reportedly preparing for a possible Wednesday night vote on enacting a ceasefire deal.

Not everyone is happy. For example, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has threatened to quit the governing coalition if Netanyahu agrees to the hostage and ceasefire deal.

"Over the past year, through our political power, we have managed to prevent this deal from coming to fruition, time after time," Ben Gvir said Tuesday. Some critics both within and outside Israel have accused Netanyahu of doing precisely this. Large protests have persisted in Tel Aviv amid accusations Netanyahu has thwarted potential peace deals in the past, opting to pursue total war in Gaza.

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/netanyahu-tells-hostage-families-deal-end-war-near-amid-reports-ceasefire-deal-reached
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