Netanyahu: 'Donald Trump is the greatest friend Israel has ever had in the White House'

Ohana added: "There was not a single person on this planet who did more than you to advance peace. What the world needs is not appeasers, but more brave and determined leaders. The world needs more Trumps."

On the way to the Sharm el-Sheikh summit

After his stay in Israel, Trump is heading to Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, to participate in an international peace summit with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and other world leaders. The meeting seeks to support the American plan to consolidate peace in Gaza and move toward a new stage of stability in the Middle East.

Netanyahu will not attend the meeting due to the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah, although he thanked for the invitation and expressed his support for the agreement.

In statements aboard Air Force One, Trump praised Netanyahu, whom he described as "a wartime president who did a very good job." He also criticized the previous administration of Joe Biden and Barack Obama, whom he accused of "supporting Iran" and weakening the relationship with Israel.

With the current agreement, Israel will release about 2,000 prisoners, including 250 security detainees, as part of the process of consolidating the ceasefire.

A new chapter in Middle Eastern history

The peace agreement promoted by Trump and supported by Israel represents a historic change in the region. The American president's leadership once again places him at the center of global diplomacy, while Israel celebrates a military, political, and moral victory after years of conflict.

Trump, "a colossus of Jewish history"

Before Netanyahu's speech, the president of the Israeli Parliament, Amir Ohana, described Trump as "a colossus who will be enshrined in the pantheon of history". He compared him to Cyrus the Great, the Persian king who allowed the Jewish people to return from Babylonian exile.

"You stand before the people of Israel not as another American president, but as a giant of Jewish history," Ohana stated, who announced that he will promote his candidacy for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize together with the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Mike Johnson.

On a day filled with emotion and historical significance, Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, paid tribute to Donald Trump during a speech in the Israeli Parliament. "He is the greatest friend Israel has ever had in the White House," he stated before the full Knesset, ahead of the intervention by the American president.

"You will be recorded in the history of our people," Netanyahu said in Hebrew. "You have already been recorded in the history of humanity." With these words, the Israeli leader sealed his recognition of Trump's role in mediating the release of the last 20 living hostages held by Hamas and the end of the war in Gaza.

The prime minister thanked Trump for his "important and decisive role" in the ceasefire reached after two years of clashes. "How long we have waited for this moment. I want to thank you personally on behalf of the entire nation," he expressed.

A review of Trump's historic actions in favor of Israel

During his speech, Netanyahu listed an extensive set of decisions that, he said, demonstrate Trump's unwavering commitment to the Jewish state. He mentioned the recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, the relocation of the American embassy, the recognition of sovereignty over the Golan Heights, his defense of Israel at the United Nations, and the mediation of the Abraham Accords, which normalized diplomatic relations with several Arab countries.

"No American president has ever done more for Israel, and no one even comes close," Netanyahu stated. He also thanked Trump for his 20-point peace plan for Gaza, presented at the end of September, which made it possible to end the conflict and open "the door to a historic expansion of peace throughout the region."

"You are committed to this peace, I am committed to this peace. Together, Mr. President, we will achieve this peace," Netanyahu said, sealing his support for American leadership.

A historic day for Israel

Trump's lightning visit to Israel coincided with the return of the last hostages freed by Hamas, marking the end of two years of war according to the Jewish calendar. Netanyahu recalled the attack of October 7, 2023, when "thousands of terrorists invaded Israel, killed more than 1,200 people, and took 251 hostages, including children."

"Israel did what it had to do —he said—. With indomitable courage, we defended our people, defeated our enemies, and freed our hostages." He also emphasized that Israel achieved "astonishing victories over Hamas and the Iranian terrorist axis," and stated that Iran's nuclear program "has been reversed."

"They understand that attacking Israel on October 7 was a catastrophic mistake," he pointed out. "Israel is strong and is here to stay."