Biden and Trump reject history of hostilities to seal Gaza ceasefire

The long-sought, intense negotiations were held Gaza ceasefire agreement Announced on Wednesday, it was made possible in part by a remarkable collaboration between President Biden and President-elect Donald J. Trump, who put aside their mutual animosity to achieve a mutual goal.

The two presidents instructed their advisers to work together to bring Israel and Hamas to the finish line an agreement to stop fighting The one who devastated Gaza and freed the hostages held there for 15 months. The deal will begin on Sunday, the day before Mr. Biden hands over the White House to Mr. Trump.

Each president had a vested interest in resolving the issue before Inauguration Day. For Mr. Biden, the deal, if valid, is the final vindication he has been waiting for and what he hopes will be an end to the deadliest war in the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, freeing Americans and Israelis from captivity. For Mr. Trump, the deal, for now, removes a key issue as he begins his second term, freeing him to pursue other priorities.

The dramatic development, just five days before the transition of power in the United States, broke with natural grain in Washington, where presidents of opposition parties rarely work in tandem during a transition, even in the face of a major crisis. But the political planets quickly returned to their normal orbits as both sides argued over who deserved credit for resolving the standoff.

While Mr. Biden waited for official word from the region, Mr. Trump jumped on the deal by announcing it himself in a social media post. “This EPIC ceasefire agreement could only have happened as a result of our historic Victory in November” he added shortly after.

When Mr. Biden appeared before cameras at the White House later in the day, he was more gracious, noting that the two teams were speaking in unison. But when asked who deserves the credit, he responded by asking her or Mr. Trump. “Is this a joke?” – he asked.

However, the partnership, awkward and awkward as it was, stood out in a time of deep polarization. “It’s truly an emergency,” said Mara Rudman, President Barack Obama’s deputy special envoy for Middle East peace. “Everyone talks about who gets the credit, but the fact is it’s shared, and part of the reason it works is because it’s shared.”

This did not mean that it would lead to lasting synergy on one issue or another. “It was a case of the right thing to do with people’s best political interests,” says Ms. Rudman, now a scholar at the University of Virginia’s Miller Center.

Although credit was ultimately shared, diplomats, officials and analysts said it was clear that both presidents played an important role. The deal finally agreed upon was essentially the same one that Mr. Biden put on the table last May, and which his representatives, including Brett H. McGurk, his Middle East coordinator, worked hard to make acceptable to both sides.

At the same time, Mr. Trump’s expected return to power and his thunderous threat that “all hell will break loose” if the hostages are not released by the time he is sworn in have clearly changed the warring parties’ calculus. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who received so much support from Mr. Trump in his first term, could not accept that he would support the new president if he prolonged the war in his second term.

Indeed, Mr Netanyahu, nicknamed Bibi, said he first called Mr Trump after the deal was announced to thank him and only then called Mr Biden. In a statement, Mr. Netanyahu thanked Mr. Trump “for his words that the United States will work with Israel to ensure that Gaza is never a safe haven for terrorism.” Mr. Biden was not mentioned until the fourth paragraph, thanking him “too” for his help in just one sentence.

Mr. Trump’s desire to force a deal went beyond his trademark public threats and extended to constructive assistance on the ground. He delegated authority to his longtime friend Steve Witkoff, whom he had chosen as special envoy for the Middle East. working with Mr. McGurk pressuring the negotiators to finalize the agreement. Mr. McGurk and his team were happy to help and used Mr. Witkoff’s support as leverage.

Former New Jersey Rep. Tom Malinowski: ‘It Was Biden’s Deal’ wrote on the social network“But as much as I hate to say it, he couldn’t have done it without Trump — not Trump’s extreme threats against Hamas, but his willingness to tell Bibi publicly that the war must end by January 20.”

There were some Republicans who were ready to praise Mr. Biden for his efforts to broker a deal with Mr. Trump. “It’s good to see the Biden Administration and the Trump transition working together to get this deal done,” said Sen. Tom Tillis of North Carolina. wrote on the social network.

Few passages have seen such a point of intersection of interests. Defeated in the throes of the Great Depression, President Herbert Hoover tried to lure President-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt into a merger to solve the banking crisis, but was rebuffed by the incoming leader, who did not want to stick with his predecessor. .

More terrible example 44 years ago, President Jimmy Carter arrived in the final hours of his presidency to free 52 American hostages held in Iran without the help of his successor, President-elect Ronald Reagan. In fact, some evidence has emerged to suggest that people around Mr. Reagan tried to do just that To prevent Iran from releasing the hostages Official investigations never confirmed this, fearing it would help Mr. Carter before the election.

Mr. Carter eventually agreed to release the hostages, but in a final affront, Iran intercepted planes with Americans aboard minutes after Mr. Reagan was sworn in on Jan. 20, 1981. This memory was not erased from the memory of gentlemen. Biden’s team in recent weeks, particularly after Mr. Carter’s death last month. Administration officials and their allies have been pondering the possibility of history repeating itself in recent days.

The impending change of political leadership in the United States was not the only factor driving the negotiations on the war in Gaza. After Mr. Biden, the situation on the ground changed dramatically first proposed a truce in May.

Israel temporarily decapitated the leadership of Hamas, but defeated its Lebanese ally Hezbollah militia and took out key military facilities in Iran. Mediated by Biden Cease fire in Lebanon It further isolated Hamas, leaving it without a second front against Israel. And the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad It only strengthened the weakness of Iran and its allies and allies in Syria.

But the looming Inauguration Day in Washington has created a deadline that forces a new move that’s hard to ignore. Mr Trump spoke little about the war on the campaign trail, but when he did, he made clear his displeasure with it and called on Israel to end it as soon as possible, amid heartbreaking images of death and destruction in Gaza. It harmed Israel’s reputation in the international arena.

Moreover, Mr. Trump’s relationship with Mr. Netanyahu has improved since his first term in office, when he presented himself as the Israeli leader’s staunchest ally. Mr. Trump aid cut off to the Palestinians, moved the US embassy Jerusalem recognized the authority of Israel On the Golan Heights and presided diplomatic openings between Israel and several of its Arab neighbors.

But their relationship soured in Mr. Trump’s final year in office, when he felt Mr. Netanyahu was taking advantage of him, and worsened when the prime minister congratulated Mr. Biden on his 2020 election victory, which Mr. Trump still denies. Mr. Netanyahu has worked hard in recent months to reconcile with Mr. Trump.

As for Mr. Biden, his relationship with Mr. Netanyahu has been strained since the October 7, 2023, terrorist attack led by Hamas. He flew to Israel and hugged the Israeli leader on the asphalt. Biden’s advisers and allies suspect that Mr. Netanyahu deliberately stalled the truce to hand victory to Mr. Trump.

Mr. Biden said nothing about it during his televised appearance on Wednesday. But after 15 months of trying to manage the Middle East crisis and start a wider regional war, he was relieved to see it come to an end.

“I am very happy that this day has come for the sake of the people of Israel and the families who are waiting in agony and the innocent people in Gaza who have suffered unimaginable destruction as a result of the war.” Biden said.

He touched on the cooperation with Mr. Trump without mentioning his name. “I would also like to point out that this agreement was drafted and negotiated under my administration,” Mr. Biden, who was flanked by Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Anthony J. Blinken, said. “However, its terms will in most cases be implemented by the next administration. We’ve talked as a team over the last few days.”

Asked about Mr Trump’s role, Mr Biden said the truce was “the exact framework of the deal I proposed in May” and claimed it gave Israel the support it needed to weaken Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran. “I knew this deal was going to have to be done by the next team,” he added, “so I told my team to coordinate closely with the incoming team to make sure we’re all speaking with the same voice, because that’s what American presidents do.”

Mr. Trump did not mention the role of his predecessor’s team and gave the impression in his social media posts that he delivered the deal himself.

“We’ve achieved a lot without being in the White House” he wrote. “Imagine all the wonderful things that will happen when I return to the White House and my Administration is fully confirmed so they can deliver more Victories for the United States!”