Biden and Trump challenge their history of hostility to conclude a ceasefire in Gaza

Long overdue, and tortuously negotiated Gaza ceasefire agreement It was announced Wednesday in part through remarkable cooperation between President Biden and President-elect Donald J. Trump, who have temporarily put aside mutual animosity to pursue a common goal.

The two presidents directed their advisors to work together to push Israel and Hamas to the finish line An agreement to stop fighting Which destroyed Gaza and released the hostages held there for 15 months. The deal is scheduled to begin on Sunday, the day before Mr. Biden hands over the White House to Mr. Trump.

Each president had his own interest in settling the matter before Inauguration Day. For Mr. Biden, the deal, if implemented, represents a final vindication of his reign, and what he hopes will be an end to the bloodiest war in the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict while freeing Americans and Israelis from captivity. For Mr. Trump, the deal, for now, takes a major issue off the table as he begins a second term, freeing him up to pursue other priorities.

This dramatic development, which occurred just five days before the transfer of power in the United States, is contrary to the norm in Washington, where the heads of opposing parties rarely work side by side during the transition period, even in the face of a major crisis. But the political planets quickly returned to their normal orbits as the two sides argued over who deserved credit for resolving the crisis.

While Mr. Biden waited for official word from the region, Mr. Trump outmaneuvered him by revealing the deal himself in an all-caps social media post. “This epic ceasefire agreement could only have happened as a result of our historic victory in November.” He added shortly after.

By the time Biden appeared before cameras at the White House later in the afternoon, he was more generous, noting that the two groups spoke with one voice. But he felt concerned when asked who deserved the credit, him or Mr. Trump. “Is this a joke?” he asked.

However, the partnership, however awkward and thorny, emerged in an era of deep polarization. “It’s really extraordinary,” said Mara Rodman, who was deputy special envoy for Middle East peace under President Barack Obama. “Everyone talks about who gets the credit, but the truth is it’s shared, and part of the reason it’s successful is because it’s shared.”

This does not mean that it will lead to permanent synergy on this or other issue. “This was a case where the right thing to do aligned with people’s best political interest as well,” said Ms. Rodman, now a scholar at the Miller Center at the University of Virginia.

Regardless of the ultimate apportionment of credit, diplomats, officials and analysts said it seemed clear that both presidents played important roles. The deal finally agreed upon was essentially the same deal that Mr. Biden put on the table last May, and which his envoys, led by Brett McGurk, his Middle East coordinator, had worked hard to make acceptable to both sides.

Meanwhile, Trump’s imminent return to power and his loud threat that “all hell will break loose” if the hostages are not released by the time he is sworn in have clearly changed the calculus of the warring parties. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who benefited from much support from Mr. Trump during his first term, did not take for granted that the new president would support him if he prolonged the war during his second term.

In fact, it was interesting that Mr. Netanyahu, who goes by the nickname Bibi, called Mr. Trump first to thank him after the deal was announced, and only then called Mr. Biden. In a statement, Netanyahu stressed his gratitude to Mr. Trump “for his statements that the United States will work with Israel to ensure that Gaza never becomes a haven for terrorists.” Mr. Biden was not mentioned until the fourth paragraph and only in one sentence did she thank him “also” for his help.

Mr. Trump’s desire to force a deal went beyond his public threats and extended to constructive assistance on the ground. He has delegated Steve Witkoff, his old friend and handpicked special envoy to the Middle East, to do so Working with Mr. McGurk To put pressure on the negotiators to complete the agreement. Mr. McGurk and his team were happy to get help and used Mr. Witkoff’s support as leverage.

“This was Biden’s deal,” said former Rep. Tom Malinowski, Democrat of New Jersey. he wrote on social media“But as much as I hate to say it, he couldn’t have done it without Trump — not so much Trump’s performative threats to Hamas, but his willingness to tell Bibi frankly that the war must end by January 20.”

There were some Republicans who were willing to praise Mr. Biden for his efforts in crafting the agreement with Mr. Trump. “It is good to see the Biden administration and the Trump transition working together to get this deal done,” said Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina. he wrote on social media.

Few transitional periods have witnessed such a moment of intersection of interests. In the midst of the Great Depression, defeated President Herbert Hoover attempted to engage President-elect Franklin Roosevelt in cooperation to address the banking crisis, but was rebuffed by a new leader who did not want to be associated with his predecessor. .

more A frighteningly scary example This came 44 years ago, when President Jimmy Carter sought until the last hours of his presidency to free 52 American hostages held in Iran without the help of his successor, President-elect Ronald Reagan. In fact, some evidence has emerged to suggest that people around Mr. Reagan tried to do just that Preventing Iran from releasing hostages He accepted the election for fear that this would help Mr. Carter, although official investigations never proved this.

Eventually, Carter reached an agreement to release the hostages, but in a final insult, Iran grounded the planes carrying the Americans until moments after Reagan was sworn in on January 20, 1981. That memory was never far from Mr. Carter’s mind. Biden’s team in recent weeks, especially after Mr. Carter’s death last month. In recent days, administration officials and their allies have been thinking badly about the possibility of history repeating itself.

The coming change in political leadership in the United States was not the only factor driving negotiations over the war in Gaza. The situation on the ground has changed dramatically since Mr. Biden He presented for the first time his proposal for a ceasefire in May.

Meanwhile, Israel decapitated the Hamas leadership, nearly destroyed its allied Hezbollah militia in Lebanon, and seized key military facilities in Iran. Brokered by Biden Ceasefire in Lebanon Hamas was left without a second front against Israel, which increased its isolation. and The fall of President Bashar al-Assad Intervention in Syria has only strengthened the weakness of Iran and its allies and proxies.

But the impending Inauguration Day in Washington created a new deadline that was difficult to ignore. Mr. Trump did not say much during the campaign about the war, but when he did he made it clear that he was not happy about it and urged Israel to end the war as soon as possible because of the heart-wrenching images of death and destruction in Gaza. It harms Israel’s reputation on the international scene.

Moreover, Mr. Trump’s relationship with Mr. Netanyahu has evolved since his first term, when he presented himself as the Israeli leader’s strongest ally. Mr. Trump Cut off aid for the Palestinians, Reported by the American embassy To Jerusalem, recognition of Israeli authority Above the Golan Heights And he presided Diplomatic openings Between Israel and many of its Arab neighbors.

But relations between them soured in Mr. Trump’s final year in office when he saw Mr. Netanyahu taking advantage, and relations deteriorated further when the prime minister congratulated Mr. Biden on winning the 2020 election, something Mr. Trump still denies. Mr. Netanyahu has worked hard in recent months To reconcile with Mr. Trump.

As for Mr. Biden, his relationship with Mr. Netanyahu has been strained since the days following the Hamas-led terrorist attack on October 7, 2023, when He traveled to Israel and hugged the Israeli leader On the runway. Biden’s advisers and allies suspect that Mr. Netanyahu was deliberately delaying the ceasefire agreement to hand victory to Mr. Trump in an attempt to submit to him.

Mr. Biden said nothing about that during his televised remarks on Wednesday. But after 15 months of trying to manage the Middle East crisis and avoid a wider regional war, he seemed relieved to see the end coming.

He added: “I am extremely satisfied that this day has come, and has finally come, for the sake of the people of Israel, for the families waiting in agony and for the innocent people in Gaza who have suffered unimaginable devastation due to the war.” Biden said.

He referred to cooperation with Mr. Trump without mentioning him by name. “I would also note that this deal was developed and negotiated under my administration,” Biden said, flanked by Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken. But its conditions will be mostly implemented by the next administration. “For the past few days, we’ve been talking as a team.”

Asked about Mr. Trump’s role, Biden noted that the ceasefire was “the exact framework of the deal I proposed in May” and claimed credit for giving Israel the support it needed to weaken Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran. He added: “I knew that this agreement had to be implemented by the next team, so I asked my team to coordinate closely with the next team to make sure that we all speak with the same voice because that is what American presidents do.” “.

Mr. Trump did not mention the role of his predecessor’s team and left the impression in his social media posts that he delivered the agreement himself.

“We have accomplished a lot without being in the White House.” books. “Just imagine all the wonderful things that will happen when I return to the White House, and my administration is fully confirmed, so they can secure more victories for the United States!”