President Donald Trump has now reportedly been formally invited to address Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, in what Israeli officials are calling a “historic moment” for both nations.
The invitation, extended Thursday by Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, comes as Israel prepares for the release of the remaining hostages taken by Hamas during its October 7, 2023, terrorist attack.
“Today is a historic day,” Ohana wrote in the invitation. “Your leadership, courage, persistence, and vision have led not only to a deal securing the release of all Israeli hostages abducted by Hamas on October 7, but also to an unprecedented regional agreement accepted by nearly every nation in the Middle East.”
The letter underscores the deep gratitude many Israelis have expressed toward Trump for his role in facilitating the landmark hostage deal and broader diplomatic agreement that followed.
Trump’s influence in the Middle East, already cemented by the 2020 Abraham Accords that normalized relations between Israel and several Arab states, appears to have expanded with the latest round of negotiations.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced in July that he had nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, citing his “efforts to secure the release of the Israeli hostages and achieve a lasting peace in the region.” The president has also received nominations from other world leaders, foreign governments, and members of the U.S. Congress.
For Trump, the recognition from Israel represents both a foreign policy vindication and a personal milestone. The president has long argued that his administration’s approach to the Middle East — based on strength, pressure, and clear moral alignment with America’s allies — accomplished what decades of traditional diplomacy failed to do.
“I was the one who stood with Israel when others turned their backs,” Trump has often said in rallies, pointing to his decision to move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem and recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights. The new invitation from Israel’s top legislative body is being interpreted by many in Jerusalem as a continuation of that partnership.
The Nobel Peace Prize announcement, expected Friday, adds another layer of anticipation. Trump has made no secret of wanting the award, and his supporters view his work in the Middle East as more deserving than that of former President Barack Obama, who received the prize in 2009 shortly after taking office.
On Thursday, Trump once again mocked Obama’s selection. “Obama got it for doing nothing,” he said. “He got elected and they gave it to Obama for doing absolutely nothing but destroying our country. No, he was not a good president.”
While the Nobel Committee has given no indication of the outcome, Trump’s invitation to address the Knesset underscores his enduring influence on Israeli politics and regional diplomacy.
For Israel, the moment marks recognition of a U.S. leader whose policies consistently favored its security. For Trump, it represents renewed validation of his claim to have reshaped the Middle East — not through endless wars, but through peace achieved by strength.
[READ MORE: Trump Brokers Ceasefire Between Israel and Hamas, Drawing Global Praise]
