Israel, Lebanon agree to extend ceasefire by three weeks: Trump

[0:00] Outbreaking news. This is Donald Trump at the White House. [0:03] He's been hosting Lebanese and Israeli envoys at the White House [0:07] for a second round of talks. [0:08] We have one headline coming from Donald Trump, [0:10] which was on Truth Social, saying the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon [0:14] will be extended by three weeks. [0:17] Let's see what he is at the moment addressing [0:19] after, of course, he's been hosting the Lebanese and Israeli envoys. [0:24] Agreed to an additional three weeks of, I guess, no firing, ceasefire, [0:31] no more firing. Let's see. We hope that happens. [0:34] It's not going to happen between them, but they do have Hezbollah to think about. [0:40] And we're going to be working with Lebanon to get things straightened out in that country. [0:46] I really believe it's something we can do pretty easily just with the power of who we are. [0:52] They're great people, the Lebanese people. [0:54] We have our ambassador here who has done a fantastic job, [0:58] ambassador to Lebanon from the United States. [1:01] And we had a great conversation, [1:05] and I think it's the beginning of something very important. [1:07] It would be a wonderful thing to get this worked out simultaneously [1:10] with what we're doing in Iran. [1:13] And I'd like to start by just asking J.D., our vice president, [1:17] our great vice president, to say a few words, [1:18] and then Marco will speak, [1:21] and then the representatives from the country. [1:23] Mike Huckabee, you'll say a few words, Mike. [1:26] You've done a great job, by the way. [1:27] I appreciate it. Everybody does. [1:28] And J.D., please. [1:31] Yes, sir. [1:32] Well, first of all, congratulations. [1:33] Congratulations to you and our secretary of state, [1:35] but most importantly, congratulations to the people of Israel and Lebanon. [1:39] I think it's a major historic moment. [1:41] We're going to extend the ceasefire for three weeks [1:43] that's already in place between Israel and Lebanon. [1:46] Of course, it wouldn't have happened [1:47] without the president's direct engagement. [1:49] The fact that you have these leaders of different countries coming together [1:52] for the first time, they came together in the Oval Office, [1:54] and they came together because of energetic diplomacy, [1:56] of course, led by the president of the United States. [1:59] So, I think it's a big moment for the world, [2:01] it's a big moment for our country, [2:02] but just very proud to be a part of it. [2:04] So, thank you, sir, for making it happen. [2:05] Thank you very much, J.D. [2:07] Thank you, Mr. President, for hosting this, actually. [2:09] You know, the president wanted to be personally involved, [2:11] and I'm glad he was because he made it possible [2:13] to get this extension, [2:14] and it gives everybody time to continue to work [2:17] on what's going to be a permanent peace. [2:19] Between two countries that want to be at peace, [2:21] both are victimized by the same terrorist organization, [2:23] a terrorist organization that no doubt has victimized Israel, [2:27] but has also victimized the people of Lebanon. [2:29] The people of Lebanon deserve to live [2:30] in a country that's peaceful and prosperous. [2:33] They have an opportunity to do that. [2:34] They have a history of that. [2:35] And what's standing in the way [2:37] is an organization that operates, [2:38] a terrorist organization that operates [2:40] within their national territory [2:41] that needs to be, that threat needs to be eliminated. [2:45] And so, thank you, Mr. President, [2:46] for this gathering today [2:47] and for convening it and being a key part of it, [2:50] and it buys this time to continue to work. [2:52] I'm very optimistic that in a few weeks [2:54] we'll be even closer to the kind of permanent peace [2:56] that the people of Israel and Lebanon deserve. [2:58] Thank you very much. [3:00] Michel, please. [3:01] Well, I would like to thank the president, [3:03] the vice president, and the secretary [3:04] to make this historical meeting today [3:07] that bring two countries [3:09] that they've never been next to each other [3:11] more than today in a way. [3:13] This is 60, 70 years in the making, [3:15] and today is really the historical day. [3:17] Thank you, Mr. President, vice president, secretary, [3:20] and we're going to keep going, [3:23] working for a peace [3:25] that hopefully we'll get it as soon as possible. [3:27] Thank you. [3:27] You're a very successful man. [3:29] And when I asked him [3:31] if he'd like to be ambassador to Lebanon, [3:33] I said, it could be a dangerous job. [3:35] He said, well, I'm Lebanese. [3:37] I was born in Lebanon, [3:38] and your parents have a whole big history. [3:41] He said, danger doesn't matter to me, really. [3:44] It's something I want to do. [3:45] He's very successful. [3:45] He didn't need this. [3:47] Man, I think it's probably more dangerous [3:49] than you even thought, [3:50] but you've done a fantastic job. [3:51] It is an honor for me to serve you, Mr. President, [3:55] and then I'm going to go till the end. [3:57] Thank you. [3:58] Thank you very much. [3:59] And likewise, Mike Huckabee, [4:00] we all know Mike, [4:02] and he didn't need it either, did he? [4:04] But he's doing a fantastic job. [4:06] Mike, go ahead, please. [4:07] I just want to say, Mr. President, [4:09] what an amazing opportunity [4:10] to be here at a moment of history. [4:12] The people of Lebanon, [4:13] the people of Israel are neighbors, [4:15] and they want to get along. [4:17] They can get along. [4:18] But it's like neighbors who have a rough little kid [4:20] living in the neighborhood [4:21] who keeps throwing rocks at everybody's window. [4:24] And if the kid will quit throwing rocks, [4:26] the neighbors can get along [4:27] and start actually working together. [4:30] The president has initiated something [4:32] that is truly bringing the neighborhood [4:35] back to a neighborhood [4:36] and recognizing that the problem is not Lebanon [4:39] and the problem is not Israel. [4:40] The problem is Hezbollah, [4:42] the bad little kid throwing rocks. [4:44] That's what the president is getting launched today [4:47] to get that little kid out of the neighborhood. [4:51] Thank you. [4:54] Mr. Ambassador, please. [4:55] Well, thank you, Mr. President, [4:57] for your hospitality, [4:59] for bringing Israel and Lebanon together [5:01] here in the Oval Office. [5:03] Israel wants peace with Lebanon [5:05] and Israel wants security for its citizens. [5:08] We're united with the Lebanese government [5:10] and wanting to rid the country [5:12] of this malign influence called Hezbollah. [5:16] And now that, Mr. President, [5:18] under your leadership, [5:18] Iran has been so degraded, [5:21] the possibility of degrading Hezbollah [5:23] and liberating Lebanon [5:25] from their occupation is real. [5:27] So we hope that together under your leadership, [5:30] we can formalize peace [5:31] between Israel and Lebanon [5:32] in the very near future. [5:34] And we are just very thankful [5:35] for the opportunity. [5:36] Thank you. [5:37] And I look forward to having [5:38] the next meeting with [5:39] your great prime minister. [5:42] He's a wartime prime minister [5:44] with Bibi [5:45] and with the president of Lebanon. [5:46] It'll be fantastic. [5:48] I think a lot's going to happen. [5:51] Madam Ambassador. [5:52] Of course.