JERUSALEM (AP) — President Donald Trump told Israeli lawmakers Monday that their country has nothing more to achieve on the battlefield and must work for peace in the Middle East after two years of war against Hamas and skirmishes with Hezbollah and Iran.
Although the US-brokered truce between Israel and Hamas remains fragile, Trump is determined to seize the opportunity to achieve an elusive regional harmony.
“Generations from now will be remembered as the moment when everything began to change,” he told the Knesset, which welcomed him as a hero.
The Republican president also used the opportunity to settle political scores and thanked his supporters, criticizing his Democratic predecessors and praising one of the major donors, Miriam Adelson, in the audience.
In an unexpected turn, Trump called on the Israeli president to pardon Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom he described as “one of the greatest” wartime leaders. Netanyahu faces corruption charges, although several hearings were postponed during the conflict with Hamas.
Trump urged Israel to look beyond the war, saying the country “won everything it could by force of arms.”
“You won. I mean you won,” he said. “Now is the 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 was destroyed during the conflict, and urged the Palestinians to be “forever converted by terror and violence.”
“After tremendous pain, death and hardship, now is the time to focus on building up their people instead of trying to tear down Israel,” he said.
Trump even made a gesture at Iran, where it 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.”
He added: “We just want to live in peace.” “We don’t want any threats looming over our heads.”
Trump is on a quick trip to the Middle East
The US President will continue his trip to Egypt to attend a summit with more than twenty other countries, despite being delayed for hours due to speeches in the Knesset continuing longer than expected.
“They may not be there when I get there, but we’ll try,” Trump joked after criticizing Israeli leaders for talking too much.
There was a chance that Netanyahu would join him, and Egypt even announced his attendance. However, Netanyahu’s office later said he would not go because the summit was too close to the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah.
Twenty hostages were released on Monday as part of an agreement aimed at ending the war that began on October 7, 2023, with an attack by Hamas-led militants. Trump may meet some of them at the Sheba Medical Center, and also spoke to their families in the Knesset.
Israeli lawmakers chanted Trump’s name and gave him standing ovation after standing ovation. Some people in the audience wore red “Make America Great Again” hats similar to his, although these versions said “Trump, Peace President.”
Netanyahu praised Trump as “Israel’s greatest friend ever in the White House” and promised to work with him moving forward.
He said: “Mr. President, you are committed to this peace. I am committed to this peace.” “And together, Mr. President, we will achieve this peace.”
Trump is pushing to reshape the region
The moment remains fragile, as Israel and Hamas are still in the early stages of implementing the first phase of Trump’s plan.
The first phase of the ceasefire agreement stipulates the release of the last hostages held by Hamas. Release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel; increasing humanitarian aid to Gaza; A partial withdrawal of Israeli forces from the main cities in Gaza.
With families extremely happy about the impending reunions and Palestinians eager to increase humanitarian aid, Trump believes there is a narrow window to reshape the region and reset long-fraught relations between Israel and its Arab neighbors.
“The war is over, okay?” Trump told reporters traveling with him on Air Force One:
“I think people are tired of that,” he said, stressing that he believes the ceasefire will hold because of that.
The Republican president said the chance for peace was made possible by his administration’s support for Israel’s annihilation of Iranian proxies, including Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The White House said momentum is also building as Arab and Muslim countries show a renewed focus on resolving the broader, decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict and, in some cases, deepening ties with the United States.
In February, Trump predicted that Gaza could be redeveloped into what he called the “Riviera of the Middle East.” But on Sunday aboard Air Force One, he was more cautious.
“I haven’t known anything about the Riviera for a while,” Trump said. “It exploded. This looks like a demolition site.” But he said he hopes to visit the area one day. “I’d like to put my foot on it, at least,” he said.
To Egypt
After Israel, the president will continue on his way to Egypt. Trump and Sisi will chair a summit in Sharm El-Sheikh with the leaders of more than 20 countries on peace in Gaza and the broader Middle East.
The truce is still fragile, and the two sides have not agreed to govern Gaza after the war, rebuild the Strip, and demand that Israel disarm Hamas. Negotiations on these issues may collapse, and Israel has hinted that it may resume military operations if its demands are not met.
Much of the Gaza Strip has been reduced to rubble, and the Strip’s population of nearly two million continues to suffer in desperate conditions. Under the agreement, Israel agreed to reopen five border crossings, which will help facilitate the flow of food and other supplies into Gaza, parts of which are suffering from famine.
Nearly 200 U.S. troops will help support and monitor the ceasefire agreement as part of a team that includes partner nations, nongovernmental organizations, and private sector actors.
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Megerian reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Will Weissert in Washington contributed to this report.
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Follow AP’s coverage of the war between Israel and Hamas at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war.