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.

  • ThrowawayOnLemmy
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    7 hours ago

    Oh yeah, duh. Because the Israeli government never broke a signed ceasefire before. I forgot. They always do what they say.

    Say. Are you interested in sending me money to help build a bridge?

    • @IndustryStandardOP
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      -67 hours ago

      So first you say “wait untli the ceasefire is signed”. Now when it is signed you say “wait until Israel breaks it”.

      According to your own standards you are only allowed to rag on Trump after Israel breaks the ceasefire.

      • ThrowawayOnLemmy
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        6 hours ago

        You’re combining what I said with another commenter to make some weird argument about moving goalposts or some shit. I didn’t say anything of the sort. I just think it’s worth pointing out that Israel has broken their ceasefire agreements like hundreds of times. If you’re going to use the ceasefire as a benchmark, it’s probably important to know the context around previous ceasefires and how pointless they’ve been.

        But hey. It sounds like you just wanna pat yourself on the back. You don’t need to respond to me to do that.

        • @IndustryStandardOP
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          -46 hours ago

          You are not wrong about Israel violating ceasefires. When Israel inevitably does, I will make a post about how much Trump has been humiliated if that makes you happy.

          For now though, the genocide stops. And that is good. Joe Biden could have taken credit for a ceasefire for more than a year. But Biden chose to lose the election to continue the genocide. Biden ideologically wanted to destroy Gaza. Biden did to Gaza all the things you are projecting on Trump.

          And now against all odds Trump stops it. So he gets credit.

          • ThrowawayOnLemmy
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            26 hours ago

            I hope you’re right that things do actually stop.

            I guess I’m just too cynical. I don’t think either Trump or Biden actually give a shit about perpetuating, stopping or even acknowledging genocide. I don’t think they have any ideological alignment other aligning to whichever lobbyist paid the most this week. Selling weapons is normal business for US, and we’ll continue to justify selling weapons whenever there’s money to be made.

            • @IndustryStandardOP
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              -46 hours ago

              There is one factor most Democrats ignore. Unlike Biden, Trump is not ideologically aligned to Israel. Trump will sell out to the highest bidder.

              Trump takes Saudi bribes. And MBS would really like to not have this going on. Corruption might just be the salvation.

              Or Trump will let Israel continue after 42 days. That too is possible.

              • @[email protected]
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                35 minutes ago

                Trump moved the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

                Just a random thing he did though and means nothing I’m sure, right?