During the speech, the prime minister thanked the American leader for his “unshakable friendship” and cited other actions to support the country during his government; Israeli opposition leader also paid tribute to US president
The President of the United States, Donald Trump, was received with applause in the Israeli parliament this Monday (13), in Jerusalem, during a ceremony that marked the release of 20 hostages held captive for two years. The Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, stated that Trump’s intervention was decisive in the outcome of the case, related to the attack by the terrorist group Hamas on October 7, 2023, which left more than 1,500 dead in Israeli territory.
During the speech, Netanyahu thanked Trump for his “unwavering friendship” and cited other actions to support the country during his government, such as the transfer of the United States embassy to Jerusalem, the recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights and the mediation of the Abraham Accords. The prime minister stated that Trump is “Israel’s greatest friend of all American presidents” and highlighted the role of soldiers and victims’ families in resisting Hamas.
Netanyahu also defended that a demilitarized Gaza is an essential condition for regional stability. “Peace will only be possible when Israel can live in security, and that requires the total disarmament of Gaza,” he declared.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid also spoke and praised Trump’s role in brokering the ceasefire and releasing the hostages. Lapid stated that the former American president “saved lives and avoided a prolonged war”, going so far as to say that he “deserves the Nobel Peace Prize”.
Lapid also highlighted the strength of Israeli democracy and criticized international protests against the country, saying that “there was no genocide in Gaza” and that part of the demonstrations were “financed by money from terrorism”. The opponent defended continued investment in science and technology and pointed to the United States as a strategic partner in this field.
Trump’s visit to the Israeli parliament symbolized the strengthening of relations between Washington and Jerusalem and was marked by speeches that emphasized military, technological and diplomatic cooperation between the two countries.
*Report produced with the help of AI
