The news site “Axios” reported on Monday that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump met with Israel’s Minister of Strategic Affairs, Ron Dermer, in the United States to discuss Israel’s plans in the Middle East ahead of Trump’s inauguration on January 20.
According to an American official cited by Axios, the Israeli delegation sought Trump’s perspective on which issues he would prioritize resolving before his inauguration and which could be deferred, referencing Israeli strategies related to Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran.
Sources indicated that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had informed the Biden administration in advance about Dermer’s meeting with Trump at the Mar-a-Lago resort, where Trump is assembling his team.
Dermer also met with Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, who played a pivotal role in brokering the normalization agreements between Israel and several Arab states, including Bahrain, the UAE, and Morocco, during Trump’s first term. Kushner was instrumental in advancing what became known as the “Deal of the Century.”
Axios noted that these meetings took place before Dermer’s trip to Washington, where he was scheduled to meet with senior Biden administration officials, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, to address the U.S. warning to Israel regarding the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Dermer is also expected to meet with White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, and advisors Brett McGurk and Amos Hochstein. The discussions will likely focus on ceasefire efforts between Israel and Lebanon, with Axios quoting an unnamed U.S. official stating, “No agreement has been reached yet. We believe a deal is close, but nothing is finalized until all details are resolved.”
Meanwhile, for the 403rd consecutive day, Israel continues its campaign against Gaza, with ongoing airstrikes targeting residential areas and medical and press teams. The death toll from Israel’s sustained assault on Gaza has surpassed 43,000, with over 102,000 injuries and thousands reported missing beneath the rubble, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
Since late September, the Israeli military has also escalated airstrikes on various sites across Lebanon, resulting in thousands of casualties and over 1.2 million displaced people, according to official reports.
In response, Hezbollah has intensified its operations against Israel, expanding its targets in retaliation for ongoing Israeli actions in Lebanon amid Israel’s escalated offensive in Lebanese territory.
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