Trump team briefed on Israel-Hezbollah cease-fire deal

WASHINGTON

US President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team was briefed on the recently brokered cease-fire deal in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah under President Joe Biden, a senior administration official said Tuesday.

Amos Hochstein, Biden’s lead negotiator for the deal, conducted two briefings with Trump’s national security team to explain the agreement's terms and the implementation of the deal, according to the official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity.

"They (Trump team) were not involved in these negotiations, which reached their most intense point before the election," the official said.

The official said progress in the negotiations prompted outreach to Trump’s team.

“After the election, when I thought the negotiations had reached a point that I could see the light at the end of the tunnel for the first time, I briefed President-elect Trump's senior national security team on the tenants of the deal and my expectations that there was a higher likelihood of it coming to fruition. I felt that they needed to know what we were negotiating and what the commitments were.”

According to the official, a second briefing took place in the last 48 hours.

"They seem to be supportive. And for the obvious reason that I think they agreed that this is good for Israel, as Prime Minister (Benjamin) Netanyahu just said, it is good for Lebanon, as their government has said, and it is good for the national security of the United States," the official said. "And most importantly, doing it now versus later will save countless lives on both sides."

Trump’s team has not yet publicly commented on the briefings or the agreement.

Earlier this month, The Washington Post reported that the Netanyahu government was rushing to advance a cease-fire deal in Lebanon as a "gift" to Trump.

Israel’s security cabinet approved a cease-fire agreement with Lebanon on Tuesday evening.

Biden confirmed that both Israel and Lebanon agreed to the deal, which will take effect at 4 a.m. local time (0200GMT) Wednesday.

The cease-fire deal will see the Lebanese Armed Forces "deploy and take control of" southern Lebanon over the course of the next 60 days, during which time, "Israel will gradually withdraw its remaining forces," the president said in televised remarks.

He maintained that while there will be no US troops on the ground in southern Lebanon, "we, along with France and others, will provide the necessary assistance to make sure this deal is implemented fully and effectively."

The senior administration official said that under the terms of the agreement, both Lebanon and Israel "retain the right of self-defense in accordance with international law."

The cease-fire deal requires the Lebanese army’s deployment to the country’s south before Israel begins to withdraw its troops.

"They will not withdraw, but a 60-day period will start in which the Lebanese military and security forces will begin their deployment towards the south," the official added.