Netanyahu’s Envoy in Washington to Discuss Deal ‘Acceptable’ by Biden, Trump

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu receives US Presidential Envoy Amos Hochstein before their final meeting in the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem (dpa)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu receives US Presidential Envoy Amos Hochstein before their final meeting in the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem (dpa)
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Netanyahu’s Envoy in Washington to Discuss Deal ‘Acceptable’ by Biden, Trump

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu receives US Presidential Envoy Amos Hochstein before their final meeting in the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem (dpa)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu receives US Presidential Envoy Amos Hochstein before their final meeting in the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem (dpa)

Israel's Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer is in Washington for four days to hold talks with representatives of the Joe Biden administration and representatives of President-elect Donald Trump, on reaching a ceasefire agreement with Lebanon that would be satisfactory to both administrations.
Dermer, Netanyahu's closest ally and a crucial liaison to the Trump team and the Republican Party for the past 10 years, is working on a draft agreement that secures Israeli demands on the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701.
His meetings in Washington come amid reports that diplomatic arrangements to end the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah could be near.
Israeli Demands
It seems that optimism about reaching a ceasefire deal in Lebanon rather hinges on Israeli-US understandings rather than on negotiations with Lebanon, where Hezbollah categorically rejects any additions to Resolution 1701. The Biden administration has proposed that Israel’s demands be listed in a letter of assurances sent by the White House to Netanyahu.
For Israel, those demands include the full implementation of UN resolution 1701, with a presence of double the number of Lebanese Army soldiers in the South, in addition to UNIFIL forces.
Israel also requires the deployment of non-Lebanese forces to implement the resolution, prevent Hezbollah from returning to the south or firing rockets into northern Israel.
The demands also stipulate that Syria prevents the transfer of weapons from its territory to Lebanon.
Further, they require that during the initial 60-day implementation period, Lebanon will dismantle and confiscate all military assets, arms, and infrastructure of all non-state armed groups south of the Litani River.
Any possible ceasefire deal would also recognize Israel’ right to act against violations of Resolution 1701.
At this point, US officials demand that Israel should not act against these violations immediately. Instead, they request that Tel Aviv first inform Washington about the breaches and allow for consolations with UNIFIL and the Lebanese Army to solve any problem.
Political sources in Tel Aviv confirmed progress in the Israeli-US negotiations for a ceasefire.
If Dermer succeeds to conclude an understanding, then President Biden’s envoy Amos Hochstein will travel to Beirut to negotiate a deal with the Lebanese government and Speaker Nabih Berri, who is negotiating on behalf of Hezbollah.
Army Radio reported earlier in the day that Dermer had secretly visited Russia last week to discuss their potential involvement as a party that could guarantee that Hezbollah would not rearm along Israel’s northern border.
Israel's Channel 12 reported Sunday that Dermer's efforts come as Tel Aviv fears that the UN Security Council adopts a new resolution that would severely restrict Israel's military freedom. The UN Security Council may seek to pass a resolution calling for an immediate cessation of fighting in the Gaza Strip, or imposing strict restrictions on Israeli military activities in Gaza and Lebanon.
Trump’s Wishes
Sources said Netanyahu is being extremely cautious with Trump and his wishes to end the war. The PM has chosen Dermer to follow up with the President elect to show positive signs about Israel’s willingness to finish the war.
Netanyahu wants the war to continue on condition that the Americans blame Hezbollah or Hamas or both for any failure to reach a ceasefire deal, the sources affirm.
January 20
Meanwhile, Ariel Bulshtein wrote on Sunday at the right-wing Israel Hayom newspaper that Donald Trump's re-election as US president is excellent news for Israel in so many ways that it is not easy to choose which is the most important.
He said Trump will help Israel to exterminate Hamas in Gaza, eliminate the Hezbollah threat from Lebanon, narrow Iran's nuclear options, stop international funding for anti-Israel UN agencies, curb the actions of international courts against Israel and its leaders, and normalize relations with Saudi Arabia.
He said the US and Israel will begin to work on those topics starting January 20, 2025 in the absence of any obstacles which Tel Aviv had to face under the Biden administration.

 



Iranian President: We Must Manage Relationship and Confrontation with the US Ourselves

Photo published by the Iranian presidency on Tuesday of a meeting chaired by Pezeshkian.
Photo published by the Iranian presidency on Tuesday of a meeting chaired by Pezeshkian.
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Iranian President: We Must Manage Relationship and Confrontation with the US Ourselves

Photo published by the Iranian presidency on Tuesday of a meeting chaired by Pezeshkian.
Photo published by the Iranian presidency on Tuesday of a meeting chaired by Pezeshkian.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian called on Tuesday for the “management” of the tense relations between Tehran and Washington, emphasizing the need to “deal with enemies with patience.” This statement comes a week after Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential election.
According to official media, Pezeshkian told current and former senior officials in the diplomatic sector that Iran cannot ignore its longstanding adversary, the United States.
“Whether we like it or not, we will have to engage with the United States on both regional and international fronts; therefore, it is better that we manage this relationship and confrontation ourselves,” he stated.
Pezeshkian was speaking at an “advisory” meeting on foreign policy with former Iranian FMs and members of his administration, including Ali Akbar Velayati and Kamal Kharazi, the top advisors to the Supreme Leader on international affairs and foreign policy, along with former foreign minister and head of the Atomic Energy Organization, Ali Akbar Salehi.
The Iranian presidency’s website quoted Pezeshkian as saying that his administration’s approach to foreign policy would be “within the framework of a comprehensive strategy aligned with the directives of the governing system,” indirectly referencing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
The reformist-backed president stated: “We must treat our friends generously and approach our enemies with patience,” underscoring the importance of managing foreign relations and addressing international tensions to solve internal issues and promote development.
Several officials in Pezeshkian’s administration, along with pro-government newspapers, have hinted at discussions on the possibility of high-level negotiations with the Trump administration.
Earlier on Tuesday, government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani stated that Iran would pursue whatever serves its “interests,” in response to a question on potential direct talks with the Trump administration.
“The government will strive to achieve whatever ensures the country’s interests and the values of the revolution,” she said, according to the government’s ISNA news agency.
She added that the final decision on negotiations rests with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the Supreme National Security Council under his authority.