Although the U.S.-brokered truce between Israel and Hamas remains fragile, Trump is determined to seize an opportunity to chase an elusive regional harmony.
“Generations from now, this will be remembered as the moment that everything began to change,” he declared to the Knesset, which welcomed him as a hero.
“Israel, with our help, has won all that they can by force of arms,” Trump said. “You’ve won. I mean, you’ve won. Now it is time to translate these victories against terrorists on the battlefield into the ultimate prize of peace and prosperity for the entire Middle East.”
Trump promised to help rebuild Gaza, which has been devastated during the conflict, and urged Palestinians to “turn forever from the path of terror and violence.”
"After tremendous pain and death and hardship, now is the time to concentrate on building their people up instead of trying to tear Israel down.
Trump even made a gesture to Iran, where he bombed three nuclear sites during the country's brief war with Israel earlier this year, by saying “the hand of friendship and cooperation is always open.”
“We merely want to live in peace," he said. "We don’t want any looming threats over our heads.”
Support for Netanyahu
Trump also used his speech to the Knesset to urge the Israeli president to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on corruption charges.
Netanyahu became the only sitting prime minister in Israeli history to be indicted when he was charged with fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in three separate cases after yearslong investigations accusing him of exchanging favors with wealthy political supporters. Several hearings have been postponed as he has dealt with the wars and unrest stemming from Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack out of the Gaza Strip.
Netanyahu portrays himself as a towering statesman fighting for Israel’s very survival and accuses his political opponents of trying to achieve in the courtroom what they failed to do at the ballot box.
