In the aftermath of President Trump's electoral triumph, a truce agreement, facilitated by the Biden administration, was accepted by Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu and the Lebanese militant organization Hezbollah.
This agreement marked the conclusion of over a year of conflict. The Wall Street Journal noted the unusual silence from Trump and his advisors on the agreement, describing it as a "rare sign of tacit agreement" between the two administrations.
According to The Post Millennial, Biden's initiative to secure a peace deal in the Middle East before his term concludes could be seen as a victory for both presidents. The publication suggested that Biden would secure a "legacy-defining foreign-policy win before he departs in January," while Trump would be relieved of "one fewer global crisis that he will have to handle."
Earlier in November, Ron Dermer, a trusted Netanyahu ally and Israels strategic affairs minister, met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago to update him on the Lebanon discussions. Israeli officials reported that Trump had approved the plan and expressed optimism that the agreement would be finalized before the commencement of his second term.
Jake Sullivan, Bidens national security advisor, stated on Wednesday that he has kept Trumps nominee for national security advisor, Mike Waltz, "apprised at every step" during the ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hezbollah. U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein confirmed that he has been in communication with members of Trumps team, including Waltz, about the agreement to ensure "we get a seamless transition."
A senior Biden administration official informed the outlet that Trump's aides concur that finalizing the ceasefire agreement would be beneficial for the U.S., Israel, and Lebanon. The official stated, "Most important, doing it now versus later will save countless lives on both sides."
Following the ceasefire agreement between the two nations, Bidens attention has now turned towards securing a deal in Gaza between Hamas militants and Israel. Egyptian and Arab mediators reported that diplomatic efforts are in progress to achieve this, with an Egyptian negotiating team in Tel Aviv for talks and Qatars prime minister in Cairo advocating for a deal. Egyptian officials have also been liaising with Trumps team to explore if he could persuade Israel to compromise on some crucial points. Cairo has informed Hamas that it is isolated following Hezbollahs ceasefire agreement.
On Tuesday, Biden stated, "The U.S. will make another push with Turkey, Egypt, Qatar, Israel and others to achieve a cease-fire in Gaza with the hostages released and the end to the war without Hamas in power." This statement underscores the commitment of the U.S. to foster peace in the region, a task that will undoubtedly be a significant focus for the incoming Trump administration.
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