Israel plans Lebanon ceasefire as 'gift' for Trump
According to reports from "The Washington Post," the Israeli government is preparing a ceasefire in the conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon, intended as a "gift" for President-elect Donald Trump.
An anonymous Israeli official revealed to the newspaper: "There is an understanding that Israel would gift something to Trump … that in January there will be an understanding about Lebanon."
As reported by "The Washington Post," Israel's Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer met with Trump on 10 November at his residence in Florida. The president-elect's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, also participated in the conversation. It was Dermer's first meeting during his visit to the U.S. and was held before his visit to the White House for talks with outgoing President Joe Biden.
The newspaper emphasises that such a meeting clearly shows how quickly the political landscape changed after the elections. During Trump's previous term, Kushner was a Middle East advisor and helped broker agreements normalising relations between Israel and four Arab states.
Trump announces he wants the conflict in the Gaza Strip to end as soon as possible
According to the media, Kushner does not intend to hold any formal position in his father-in-law's new administration. However, "The Washington Post" added that he might be an informal advisor in future negotiations regarding an agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia.
Trump had already announced that he wants both the conflict in the Gaza Strip and the war in Lebanon to end as soon as possible. It is unclear if the possibility of ending the conflict with Hamas was also discussed during the talks at Mar-a-Lago.
The proposed ceasefire discussed between Trump and Dermer broadly aligns with previous projects supported by the Biden administration, "The Washington Post" notes. The agreement provides for the disarmament of Hezbollah, their withdrawal from southern Lebanon, and handing control of this area to the Lebanese army under international supervision.
A new element of the agreement being discussed with Trump would be the role of Russia. According to the newspaper's sources, Russia, currently militarily present in Syria, would ensure that Iran does not rearm Hezbollah. The regime in Tehran supports this Shiite group financially and supplies it with weapons, most of which reach Lebanon via Syria. Russia would block these transport routes.
"The Washington Post" adds that Dermer paid a secret visit to Russia last week to discuss this proposal.
