There’s a new report out from the Jerusalem Post which describes how President Trump brokered a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.
In short, it’s a one-sided ceasefire because Trump asked Netanyahu to do it, and he agreed.
Below is much more:
US President Donald Trump pressured Israel to agree to a ceasefire in Lebanon after Lebanon’s president clarified to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other senior American officials that such a call would not take place without progress in negotiations between the two countries, according to two sources familiar with the details.
Although the US president posted on Truth Social on Thursday morning that a call between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun would take place, Aoun refused.
“There is only value in such a phone call between leaders when there is significant progress on the ground. Without real negotiations underway, and certainly without a ceasefire, I will not hold a call with Netanyahu at this time,” Aoun said.
He emphasized that he is not ruling out a future call with the prime minister, but that something meaningful must happen first.
These remarks by Aoun on Thursday, including those made to Rubio, led to a conversation between Aoun and Trump, during which the American president promised his Lebanese counterpart that “there will be a ceasefire.”
An Israeli source told The Jerusalem Post that Trump and Netanyahu held at least one phone call during the day.
Following the ceasefire with Iran, Netanyahu and Trump clarified that it is not connected to Lebanon. In recent days, there has been no pressure from Israel for a ceasefire, only requests by Trump and other officials to minimize Israeli strikes in Lebanon.
During a security cabinet meeting, Netanyahu was asked what led to the sudden change and Israel’s decision to agree to a ceasefire. “It’s a Trump request,” he answered.
It sounds like Trump is really trying to get these negotiations underway between Netanyahu and Aoun, and the only way to do that is to force a ceasefire. Now, perhaps, Aoun and Netanyahu can negotiate for something more permanent. But it will have to be the Lebanese Army dismantling Hezbollah. If they don’t agree to that, Israel will continue to do it.
