NIGERIAN MILITARY JET CRASHES IN NIGER. (PHOTO).
Trump hails ‘new era for the Middle East’ in address to Knesset
President Donald Trump delivered a historic address to Israel’s Knesset on the same day that 20 living hostages were released under a ceasefire agreement he helped broker, calling it “the historic dawn of a new Middle East.” In a speech that lasted more than an hour, Trump described the deal as marking the end of a “painful nightmare” for both Israelis and Palestinians, crediting his administration’s diplomacy for achieving what he called “the beginning of lasting peace.” The hostages taken by Hamas during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack were returned to Israel as part of the agreement, while Palestinian prisoners were released under the first phase of the truce designed to bring an end to the years-long conflict.
Trump declared that “this long and difficult war has now ended,” urging both sides to build on what he called a hard-won peace. Turning to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump said Israel “has won all it can by force of arms” and should now “translate these victories into the ultimate prize of peace and prosperity.” The Knesset chamber erupted with applause, and many attendees wore red caps emblazoned with “Trump The Peace President.” Trump’s speech was briefly interrupted by two lawmakers protesting Israel’s military actions in Gaza, but overall, the address was met with standing ovations. Netanyahu praised Trump as “the best friend Israel has ever had” in the White House and credited him with rallying global support for the new peace framework. He then announced that he had nominated Trump for the Israel Prize, the nation’s highest honor, while the Knesset speaker vowed to nominate him for a Nobel Peace Prize.
In a surprise moment, Trump called on Israel’s president to pardon Netanyahu, who faces multiple corruption charges, drawing extended applause from lawmakers. He also described his private conversations with Netanyahu, recounting how he urged him to accept the ceasefire rather than prolong military operations. Trump said his goal was to help Israel move from “kill, kill, kill” to “live, rebuild, and prosper.” The ceasefire follows a devastating conflict in which more than 67,000 Palestinians were killed, according to Gaza health authorities, and over 1,200 Israelis lost their lives in the initial Hamas attack. Trump attended the address alongside Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and other senior officials. After the speech, Trump departed for a global peace summit in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, where he planned to finalize agreements on Gaza’s future with international leaders. Netanyahu declined to attend, citing religious observances, but thanked Trump for “expanding the circle of peace through strength.”
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