00:00Back to the ceasefire deal, actually. Secretary's remarks, the 10-yard line,
00:04was on Friday. Just before Sunday, President Biden's decision to drop out took place. Now,
00:10Prime Minister Netanyahu arrives in a very politically uncertain environment.
00:14I was going to say, I feel dots being connected here that don't necessarily connect.
00:17Go ahead. Maybe I should – go ahead. Actually, maybe I should – yeah.
00:19No, I would just – I'd just like to ask, should we still expect that ceasefire deal
00:25put forward by President Biden stand as effective as it would be, given he's not running for the
00:32second term now? Because there are reports that Prime Minister Netanyahu might be dragging his
00:36feet until November to see who would be the next president of the United States.
00:40So, absolutely. And I think you have to remember that when the president outlined
00:44that proposal publicly, it was a proposal that had been put forward by the government of Israel.
00:48It was Israel's proposal. We had obviously been involved in the development of that proposal,
00:52as our role and one of the mediators to the negotiations, but it was ultimately an Israeli
00:57proposal. Now, as I said in response to whose question it was earlier, we continue to be
01:04involved in those negotiations and try to move them forward to get them across the line.
01:09And what we have seen is, on behalf of the Israeli Government, is them engaging,
01:16also trying to get a final deal. Now, there are things that they have put forward that
01:19ultimately are difficult, just as there are things that Hamas has put forward that are
01:22difficult to resolve. But we believe that ultimately those all ought to be resolved.
01:27Again, always with the caveat that doesn't mean they will be resolved. Negotiations are tough.
01:31And I think the Secretary said on Friday that sometimes the last 10 yards can be the hardest
01:38lanes to cover. But we have made important progress and we continue to push to try and
01:42get it over the line.
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