President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, said Tuesday that he was traveling to Qatar to take part in Gaza hostage and ceasefire negotiations with Biden administration officials.
Chances of a deal seem slim as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made clear he has no intention of ending the genocidal war, and Hamas is saying any deal must lead to a permanent ceasefire, but Witkoff insisted progress was being made.
“We’re making a lot of progress, and I don’t want to say too much because I think they’re doing a really good job back in Doha,” Witkoff, a real estate investor, said at a press conference with Trump at Mar-a-Lago.
Witkoff said he was “really hopeful that by the inaugural, we’ll have some good things to announce on behalf of the president.” When asked what has been impeding a deal, Witkoff declined to answer. “I believe we’ve been on the verge of [a deal]. I don’t want to discuss what’s delayed it — no point to be negative in any way,” he said.
Standing alongside Witkoff, Trump repeated his threat that there would be “all hell to pay” if Hamas doesn’t start releasing hostages by his inauguration on January 20.
“If those hostages aren’t back — if they’re not back by the time I get into office — all hell will break out in the Middle East and it will not be good for Hamas and it will not be good, frankly, for anyone. All hell will break out. I don’t have to say anymore, but that’s what it is and they should have been back a long time ago,” Trump said.
The president-elect has vowed to be a staunch supporter of Israel, as he was in his first term, and said on Monday that he was the “best friend that Israel ever had.”
According to media reports, Hamas has released a list of 34 hostages it is willing to release as part of the first phase of a ceasefire deal in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners.
The Times of Israel reported that a potential deal that’s on the table would only involve a six to seven-week temporary ceasefire. Relatives of Israelis still held in Gaza are calling for the government to pursue a comprehensive deal that releases all the hostages and brings an end to the conflict.
During previous rounds of negotiations, Netanyahu sabotaged the chances of a deal by constantly declaring that he wouldn’t agree to a permanent truce and adding new demands.
President-elect Trump posted this video with Jeffrey Sachs on his Truth Social platform this evening. Note the angry reference to Netanyahu. Could Trump be sending a message that he knows what's going on over there? Watch:
https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/113789043423746072
Wishful thinking, unfortunately
Jeffrey Sachs is a well known Netanyahu critic and scourge of the neocons. That's why he's been blacklisted from the Propaganda media. Why would President Trump feature him on Truth Social?
Tulsi Gabbard is a well-known Israel Lobby water-carrier and scourge of anyone who opposes murdering Muslims en masse per the desires of her Hindutva paymasters. Why does soon-to-be-president Trump want her for Director of National Intelligence, and why does Sachs support that?
I think serious people come to realize that in order for a best version of humanity to manifest itself in any given situation, evenhandedness, rejecting double standards, fairness toward those not of your "tribe and a sincere hardcore commitment to universal principles are required. I actually discovered this about Tulsi Gabbard when she was running for president. At a rally she was saying all the right things and her supporters were saying free Palestine and she tried to shut them down and deflect. Then I dug a little deeper on her background and discovered her pro Zionist position and connections to hindutva extremists. Yet people fall for it. I understand that no one will be very good on all issues. However, sincerity to humanity goes beyond tribal, national, ethnic and ideological affiliations. That is why Saladin, for example has been praised by friends and foes alike.
Cynical yet true Ashraf!
I didn’t watch this Sachs video. Does he mention Israel specifically? That is strange. I know he has been arguing to end the war in Ukraine and that is where Tulsi is simpatico.
Your distraction has failed. How about commenting on the post you are responding too? The DNI does not set foreign policy.
Tulsi Gabbard is a well-known opponent of the War Pigs, in the Middle East and elsewhere.
O RLY?
https://www.foxnews.com/video/6341177377112
because Sachs has been proposing fair minded, historical context peace plans for many years, Trump must be listening to him
Exactly, and why would Trump attack Netanyahu so many times if Trump were a zionist tool?
In 2021, Trump said F* you Netanyahu for supporting the 2020 election coup.
How many times did Trump attack Marco Rubio before selecting him for Secretary of State?
Are you referring to Lil' Marco?
Because trump is whining baby that can not accept defeat. So he lashed out at Netanyahu or any one else not supporting trump's insane idea that he got cheated. Trump is Pro – Israel and that is supported by his actions in his first term. Netanyahu will get what Israel wants from trump.
Prof. Sachs was critical of the democratic administrations before Trump, he did not mention Trump as I recall it.
Ninety percentNinety percent chance he didn't even watch the video all the way through before he posted it or he didn't even post it himself
Wrong, fortunately, it was a stunning attack on Netanyahu.
Trump posted it because it makes his predecessors look bad and they want to scare Americans that the CIA or leftists or whoever they deem "enemies" are going to take over the country, as if the "1%" have not taken over already. Trump could care less about the truth or doing what is right.
Trump will do or not do what benefits him at the moment. That's why he also flip flops constantly. but he is such a good showman, con artist that MAGA does not even realize that he flip flopped. And even if they do he will smile and say "the will come around to my thinking, I bet on it".
I voted for him in 2016 but soon realized that he was not a peace president, did not bring home the troops from Afghanistan or Syria. Did not bring home manufacturing jobs, did not pardon Assange, did not open up all JFK files and the tax cut my son saw in his paycheck would not even pay for a cup of coffee any more in most places.
Blah blah blah, you are a propagandist and a poor analyst.
Your hero leftists never tried to negotiate on the Middle East of Ukraine.
So you paste in some leftist talking points to pretend you are participating in the discussion.
What about a fact based debate?
What facts do you have to call it talking points?
did not pardon Assange
Not only did he not pardon Assange, but he also made sure he got expelled from Ecuador's embassy in London.
President Donald Trump successfully pressured, or to put it more accurately bribed, Ecuador’s new president, Lenin Moreno, to expel Assange from its embassy in London. Moreno also expunged Assange’s Ecuadoran citizenship. In return, the U.S. saw to it that Ecuador got a much-needed loan from the International Monetary Fund, and improved trade deals. Ecuador would realign its foreign policy to meet U.S. terms, such as recognizing Juan Guadió as the self-declared president of Venezuela, and have Ecuador’s troops trained by the U.S.
Moreno also met with Trump in Washington D.C. Trump and about what he termed this “great meeting,” said, “We’re working on military options including the purchase of a lot of our military equipment.”
Upon expulsion (actually more of a kidnapping by British Metropolitan police) from Ecuador’s embassy, Assange was immediately convicted of jumping bail. He had been given 15 minutes with his lawyer before the hearing. A judge called him a narcissist. He was sentenced to 50 weeks in the country’s hardest prison.
https://www.counterpunch.org/2020/10/12/the-tortured-trial-of-julian-assange/
If we learned anything in the past four years of Biden, it’s that presidents are frontmen.
We just had the weekend at Bernie’s show now on to a clown emporium.
Are you not entertained? Bread and circuses (without the bread).
Shadows and dust, Maximus
Many MAGA voters have legitimate grievances, but Trump is not the man who cares about that. He only cares about getting their votes. He is a millionaire or billionaire as are the people he surrounds himself with and the people who put him in the Oval Office.
It's the billionaires who went to Trump saying that they will give him money – lots of money – but it is up to him to find the voters, since the billionaires alone would never get enough votes. And Trump knew exactly where they were and positioned himself to be the saint to save their lives. Then when push came to shove after the election he went with Musk, Vivek and other billionaires.
Not to forget, Musk spend $270 000 to help to get Trump elected, he owns Trump. And Trump and his family is getting wrapped up in scandals, conflict of interests, where he left off last time.
Trump's condemnation of Israel's influence is strong, stuning and correct. So of course, since you have NOTHING, you attack him personally. No sale.
Trump is a scumbag. He threw Assange under the bus. He clearly showed what a scumbag he was then, if the blind didnt see it before. He isnt antiwar. He thinks peace comes through "strength," which Trump equates with boasts, braggadocio, and false threats. He is not a real smart guy. The team around him is a bunch of murderous neocons who are itching to get what they want. Trump is like a dumb attack dog on a leash. He will continue to blame others, troll and distract the public so that they dont focus on the raping he will do to the American public. He also never struggled in his life and does not understand the concerns and hardships of everyday people. And, he does NOT want to understand. I do not understand the blind devotion to him.
He could not care less about the truth, that is scary.
Thanks, Warren. It's posting by Trump IS very strange, … were it not for loss of all hope for the ruling elite of the US of I.
Maybe Trump needs to pull back on his stupid talking points. There is a smell of panic in the air about Trump's aggressive talk and possible use of nuclear weapons.
Trump isn’t a NeoConNazi, but he knows too well it’s the reigning ideology, and that he has to truckle to it in order to survive (that in Buffalo was a serious attempt to kill him). So he over-dramatically overdoes the Party line, … at the same time, almost the same breath, showing he knows it’s bullshit. So he’s either an angel playing to beat the devil at his own game, or he’s angling for some personal benefit in return for strictly disciplining his orthodoxy. Sadly, it’s almost certainly the latter.
It is a big circus, it would be funny if it were not serious.
A sign of hope that he us posting an interview of Jeffrey Sachs on Truth Social
That post is clear. Trump has attacked Netanyahu several times.
We know Trump was extremely unhappy, to say the least, the way Netanyahu was among the first to congratulate Biden-Harris 4 years ago. Trump doesn't like disloyalty.
But he gets over it with enough ass kissing. Rubio couldn't be a better example. Netanyahu will be a willing ass kisser, and he will be rewarded.
Trump doesn't like disloyalty. LOL Need did Hitler.
It could well be a warning to Netanyahu to make the necessary concessions to get a hostage deal done in time for his inauguration.
Are you done day dreaming for this day?
Trump never crossed the red line with Netanyahu and is not likely to do it in future.
Witkoff is not yet a US Officer. Hence, he has no business getting involved in US foreign policy.
It's more like a give-up-or-else talk…!
Exactly! If Witkoff does not deliver all hell will break lose adn Witcoff most likely will be sacked. He more or less threatened that during his press conference. The guy looked scared as hell, could hardly speak of being told off by the emperor/king.
Who officially hired the guy, does he have signed documentation from a sworn in legal president?
It's called a discussion, not setting foreign policy. The US is an intermediary only.
The US does fund the genocide. And yes, calling it a discussion makes it sound good while changing nothing.
I'm guessing this is a standard practice. That's just a guess based on how this is being reported. Like no one is trying to hide anything. Again, just a guess.
My understanding was appointments in waiting did not act publicly in any official way. No acting president would have tolerated that and no elected president ever did it. Changing of the guard used to be civilized, at least publicly.
What ever happened to Ms. Manners, we could use her.
When they went after Michael Flynn (Trump’s national security advisor for the first 22 days of his first administration), one of the charges involved his secret meeting with Russian officials prior to Trump’s inauguration, in December of 2016.
Not often mentioned was the purpose of that meeting: He was trying to talk the Russians into vetoing UN Security Council Resolution 2334, which affirmed the illegality of Israeli settlements in the occupied territories. Obama had directed the US ambassador to abstain, and Trump — the self-proclaimed “post pro-Israel candidate in history” — wanted it killed. The Russians refused to play ball, and the resolution passed.
So this is not the first time Trump ignored the rules. Thanks for the info.
WHO SAYS???? Trump or Biden.
Both…!
for now anyway.
Where is the concern for 70-plus years of Israel extrajudicially taking Palestinians hostages? If there was a genuine concern for them, we wouldn't be in the mess we are now!
There is a difference between a hostages and criminals. Arresting terrorists for their actions is not taking them hostage.
But detaining thousands, including children, without charge, trial,, conviction, for, or even specification of, any crime and then trading them off for the return of POWs, IDF bodies, etc., IS taking them hostage.
Not to mention torture, amputations, dog maulings, beatings, and usage as human shields.
Who determines who is a terrorist or criminal? IDF members are war criminals, and their war crimes are documented, including the use of Palestinians as body shields.
Tim this is is why I find it hard to respect you as a person. I have constantly explained how Muslims, Arabs and Palestinians based on religion and culture don't hate people for who they are but what they do. The Palestinians are required to recognize Israel, make Israelis feel safe, condemn violence, be peaceful blah, blah, blah. But never the other way around.
By negating the humanity and innocence of the Palestinians you expose the racism, hypocrisy and fascism of your worldview.
That's why this quote from Christopher Hitchens always stuck with me and I included it in my book. You truly put yourself down and the cause you uphold by not affording the same expectations of decency for others that you afford to yourself and whatever "tribe" you belong to.
"Suppose that a man leaps out of a burning building—as my dear friend and colleague Jeff Goldberg sat and said to my face over a table at La Tomate in Washington not two years ago—and lands on a bystander in the street below. Now, make the burning building be Europe, and the luckless man underneath be the Palestinian Arabs. Is this a historical injustice? Has the man below been made a victim, with infinite cause of complaint and indefinite justification for violent retaliation? My own reply would be a provisional 'no,' but only on these conditions. The man leaping from the burning building must still make such restitution as he can to the man who broke his fall, and must not pretend that he never even landed on him. And he must base his case on the singularity and uniqueness of the original leap. It can't, in other words, be 'leap, leap, leap' for four generations and more. The people underneath cannot be expected to tolerate leaping on this scale and of this duration, if you catch my drift. In Palestine, tread softly, for you tread on their dreams. And do not tell the Palestinians that they were never fallen upon and bruised in the first place. Do not shame yourself with the cheap lie that they were told by their leaders to run away. Also, stop saying that nobody knew how to cultivate oranges in Jaffa until the Jews showed them how. 'Making the desert bloom'—one of Yvonne's stock phrases—makes desert dwellers out of people who were the agricultural superiors of the Crusaders."
@knappster:disqus@disqus_qhuce9v5DO:disqus@disqus_ohIOfcAv3e:disqus@disqus_E05j4B3lQf:disqus@ThomasMalthaus:disqus@dieterheymann:disqus@warsrus:disqus@donnavolatile:disqus@disqus_MrJiy4Nxhy:disqus@renatelittlejohn:disqus@warren_paine:disqus@robertscheetz:disqus@existentialdread:disqus@disqus_4TWxi8WlTO:disqus@disqus_Ua0lwP5eay:disqus@disqus_2TpzVQQZRu:disqus@krzysztfwddwa:disqus@samkopec:disqus
“I have constantly explained how Muslims, Arabs and Palestinians based on religion and culture don’t hate people for who they are but what they do.”
The only thing that all Muslims have in common is that they’re Muslims — and disagreement on precisely what that means starts with tawhid.
The only thing that all Arabs have in common is that they speak some dialect of the Arabic language.
The only thing that all Palestinians have in common is that they’re from Palestine — if even that (Arafat was an Egyptian).
Talks are essential as is a peaceful solution, which all can abide by!…
You are amazingly persistent, call it eternal hope.
Sorry, but "cease fire" means Israel regroups and then goes on the rampage again, ignoring any cease fire and the US will support them. Cease Fire may work with other warring countries it does not work with Israel because Israel will not hold to any agreement – they are the super chosen people who can do whatever they want.
Many Evangelicals are already saying that God is performing daily miracles in Israel by them winning and advancing to regain their "given land by god" Huckabee does not even call it Gaza or the West Bank any more, he says they do not exist it is all Israel adn then some.
Cynical yet relevant!…
Huckabee is awful, he behaves like a zionist lobbyist. He was a bad governor too.
I know some evangelicals who worship Israel. They are brainwashed.
If Israel breaks a cease fire with Trump as president, there would be some repercussions. What Biden does each time Israel aggresses is give them a few billion more.
Who appointed Huckabee?
And what "repercussions" would Israel have to be concerned about? Is Trump going to cut them off? Or say he isn't their "best friend" anymore and take back everything he gifted them his first term?
"Sorry, but "cease fire" means Israel [russia] regroups and then goes on the rampage again, ignoring any cease fire and the US will support them. Cease Fire may work with other warring countries it does not work with Israel [russia] because Israel [russia] will not hold to any agreement – they are the super chosen people who can do whatever they want."
I'm gonna use this against you incase you ever try to defend a russia-ukraine ceasfire
In order for Peace to happen, everyone must participate!…
You are too late, Russia will be forced to demand "UNCONDITONAL SURRENDER."
The Americans are pressuring the Ukrainians to keep fighting for a lost cause until that happens, it is called fighting to the last man and scorched earth, in other words ANNIHILATION OF UKRAINE aka US!!!
Ok mate
The hostages are a ruse. I suspect that neither side cares about them dead or alive except as a bargaining chip or an excuse for violent actions.
Sad to see how this is going. Everyone is getting their war on after seeing Russia get theirs on. If they can do it, we can do it! It's how world wars get started.
Israel is seizing land, and Trump is saying silly things about taking Panama, Canada, and Greenland. Koreans are slapping each other, and Taiwan is bracing for war.
Monkey see, monkey do. So much for the human race.
The USA always claims that Israel is our "greatest ally"…but what have they ever really done for the USA? Did they fight with them in the Gulf War, Iraq, or Afghanistan? Israel is Western capitalism's toehold in Arab oil land…and the controllers of Western nations are bent on conquering the resources of weaker nations worldwide.
No hope. This will get a lot worse before it gets any better.
The hostages is an open ended issue which Israel can continue to use to justify its land seizures.
Israel is using it to justify genocide.
A genocide that facilitates land seizures.
I did not know a president elect could govern before he is sworn into office.
Since the election the nation has had no legally functioning government, until the inauguration that is almost 3 months.
Men, one de facto demented and the other may be in the same state and is not even sworn into office. That is a functioning democracy?
That was a functioning post?
Biden is demented and Trump has not been sworn in, so who is in charge in Washington, what did I miss? Who is in charge of the nuclear weapons in case of war? We are at the edge of a WW III, why else do they sell weapons to Taiwan while stoking China with sanctions and tariffs, economic warfare, Trump, the president in waiting publicly threatened Canada with 25% tariffs on their exports to the USA. TO ME SUCH BEHAVIOR OF GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS IS INSANE AND VERY DANGEROUS, Trump appears to be as ignorant now as he was the first time around. Let’s call the child by it’s name, he is not fit for the office.
A tad verbose but accurate.
Some times more words are needed. But you are right.
I think you need a good cry to get it out of your system. The final stage of grief is acceptance.
Hopefully it is only a bad dream.
It’s reality baby. Trump is BACK and better than evah!
Maybe you haven't noticed, but World leaders from everywhere have been making there way to Mar-a-lago to pay homage to the winner of the November 6 election. Why wait till the last minute?
I have noticed, but I am not impressed. Trudeau visited and Trump insulted him the moment he left. He resigned and Trump looks like a shi*t-head with no manners and simple decency. A reminder of his manners when he became president last time.
Trump is an aged spoiled brat.
Trump does not say how in Gods name hell can get worse than it already is.
You did not say anything coherent or relevant.
What is it you don't understand?
It almost sounds like Trump was making a joke.
"Deep dark son of a bitch"……
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hjbipri8kg
Haaretz | U.S. News
'A Deep, Dark Son of a Bitch': Trump Posts Video of Historian Criticizing Netanyahu
President-elect Donald Trump shared a video of controversial economist Jeffrey Sachs vocally criticizing Prime Minister Netanyahu, including charging him with orchestrating the U.S. invasion of Iraq. The post indicates the GOP's pro-Israel orthodoxy may not be as solid as it may believe.
Ben Samuels
Jan 8, 2025 8:32 pm IST
WASHINGTON – U.S. President-elect Donald Trump shared a video of contentious economics professor Jeffrey Sachs describing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as "a deep, dark son of a bitch" responsible for orchestrating US foreign policy in the Middle East.
Prof Sachs did not mention Trump at all, but a possible reason for Trump posting it could be Trump's addiction for publicity. He will say and do anything if it gets publicity, much like Elon Musk.
I always find funny people who are die hard trump fans
yknow, the climate change denying, trump-and-elon-are-gods, from the suez to the euphrates, israel shall be free type of people
an interesting bunch from a psychological perspective
I HAD A REVELATION
Israel is actually pretty ass
I am sorry for excusing Israel's genocide against Palestine
Better late than never. And respect for dealing with it openly.
It was in a dream it was weird but I guess it worked
Sorry folks, the clown car is full. Lets just sit back and enjoy the theatrics.