Netanyahu and Trump discuss Syria developments, captives in Gaza

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Axios
16 Dec 2024 11:03
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with US President-elect Donald Trump over the weekend about "Israel's" actions in Syria and efforts to secure a prisoner exchange in Gaza, both of which are expected to be key foreign policy challenges for Trump upon taking office.

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Then-President Donald Trump and Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shake hands in al-Quds, May 23, 2017. (AP)

Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that he spoke to US President-elect Donald Trump over the weekend about his aggression on Syria and efforts to reach a prisoner-exchange deal in the Gaza Strip amid the ongoing genocide and unfolding geopolitical events.

Netanyahu, on Sunday, described "We had a very friendly, warm, and important discussion."

He said these topics are likely to loom as some of the main foreign policy challenges facing Trump when he takes office on 20 January.

Trump's special envoy Steven Witkoff engages in Gaza ceasefire talks

Steven Witkoff, appointed by US President-elect Donald Trump as special envoy to the Middle East, has initiated diplomatic discussions aimed at achieving a ceasefire in Gaza and securing the release of Israeli captives, the Financial Times reported on Friday.

Witkoff met with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, a key mediator in negotiations for a ceasefire, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to two sources familiar with the talks.

Financial Times revealed that Witkoff held discussions with the Qatari prime minister last month to address the ongoing war.

On November 23, Witkoff traveled to occupied Palestine to meet with Netanyahu. This meeting was confirmed by both an Israeli official and a former Trump administration official, as well as a diplomat briefed on the conversation.

Meanwhile, Mossad head David Barnea, "Israel's" chief negotiator, reportedly met with the Qatari prime minister in Vienna on November 24 to further discuss the situation.

According to reports, Witkoff's talks focused on securing a ceasefire and the release of remaining captives before Trump's inauguration.

According to the FT, a diplomat stated that Witkoff was working to secure a ceasefire before Trump's inauguration, allowing the administration to focus on other priorities, such as regional stabilization, once in office.

President-elect Trump, talking about the captives in Gaza, warned earlier this week that "There will be all hell to pay in the Middle East" unless they were released before his January 20 inauguration.