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A former NATO chief is crediting President-elect Donald Trump’s impending return to the White House for the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire agreement that unfolded last week.

James Stavridis, a former NATO supreme allied commander, expressed his belief that the ceasefire is a “direct result” of the incoming 47th president and his administration while speaking to radio host John Catsimatidis.

“Iran [is] very vulnerable. What that means is that in the fight that Israel continues to have with Hezbollah … you’re seeing Hezbollah willing to go to a ceasefire,” he said Sunday on “The Cats Roundtable” on WABC 770 AM.

“I think that’s a direct result of the presence of a new Trump administration coming on,” he added.

Last week’s agreement between Israel and the Hezbollah terrorist movement in Lebanon sought to impose a 60-day truce in the 14-month-long conflict after the terrorists backed by the Iranian regime attacked Israel following the Hamas attack on the U.S. ally on Oct. 7, 2023.

Days after the temporary ceasefire went into effect, Israel and Hezbollah have accused each other of violating its terms.

Stavridis believes it is now a waiting game for foreign leaders as they await the official start of a second Trump administration.

“In many capitals around the world, the leaders are holding their breath. [They’re] just unsure of what’s coming,” he told Catsimatidis.

“If that is used as a negotiating ploy, as a way to keep an opponent off balance, it works out pretty well. When it’s used with our allies and partners and friends, like the NATO alliance, it can have consequences that are less good,” added the retired four-star U.S. naval officer.

Trump, who recently named former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) as his choice to be U.S. ambassador to Israel, is a staunch defender of the nation and welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida back in July.

“This is designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities,” Biden said last week. “What is left of Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations will not be allowed—I emphasize, will not be allowed—to threaten the security of Israel again.”

Ahead of the ceasefire agreement becoming official, Florida Rep. Mike Waltz noted in a social media post that, “Everyone is coming to the table because of President Trump.”

“His resounding victory sent a clear message to the rest of the world that chaos won’t be tolerated. I’m glad to see concrete steps towards deescalation in the Middle East,” Waltz, who was tapped as Trump’s national security adviser, added.

White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan pushed back on credit being given to Trump whose transition team has begun working with Biden administration officials in anticipation of his inauguration in January.

“I would just point out that you know you’ve done a really good thing when other people take credit for it,” Sullivan told CNN.

Frieda Powers
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