“Now you can be nicer, Bibi, you’re no longer at war”

“The war is over,” says Donald Trump. And now?

US President Donald Trump headed to Israel this Monday to speak at the Knesset (the Israeli Parliament) and receive the 20 hostages in the morning by Hamas — all of those kidnapped by the Islamist group on October 7, 2023 who were still alive.

Meanwhile, the bodies of the remaining 28 hostages have already begun to be handed over to the Red Cross.

Trump called for the consolidation of lasting peace in the Middle East and asked the Israeli Parliament for a pardon for the prosecution of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“End of an era of death”

On the same day, October 13, Israel and Hamas, despite not having official representation in Egypt, signed a peace plan for Gaza. Trump went to the Knesset to describe the moment as the “end of an era of terror and death” and the beginning of a new stage, marked by “great concord and lasting harmony for Israel and the entire region”.

Improvising in part of the speech that lasted more than an hour, Trump took the opportunity to ask the Knesset to pardon Netanyahu in the legal proceedings in which he is involved.

“After so many years of war and relentless dangers, the skies are calm today, the guns and sirens have fallen silent, and the sun rises over a holy land finally at peace. A land and a region that, God willing, will live in peace for all eternity,” said the American head of state, before an audience that included members of the Israeli government, opposition leaders and diplomatic representatives of countries Arabs.

Trump highlighted that today will be recorded as “the historic dawn of a new Middle East”, stressing that the peace plan now signed, which provides for the immediate demilitarization of the Gaza Strip and the end of the Hamas threat, was possible thanks to an “unprecedented coalition of responsible nations”.

“It’s not just the end of a war. It’s the end of an era of death and suffering. It’s the beginning of a new page for Israel, for the Palestinians and for all the nations that chose peace over hate,” Trump said.

“We had a lot of help, thank you”

The North American President made a point of thanking the role of Arab and Muslim countries which, according to him, were decisive in pressuring Hamas to release the hostages it still held.

“We had a lot of helpincluding from countries that no one expected. I want to thank them deeply. It is a victory for Israel and for the world”, explained the North American leader.

Trump also praised the Israel Defense Forces for the military operation “Rising Lion”, which he classified as “brilliant” and “determining” for the outcome of the conflict and added that military cooperation between the US and Israel was essential to achieving victory on the ground, but stressed that “the time of war is over” and that “now is the time to transform military victories into sustainable peace”.

In a long speech, marked by a celebratory tone and moments of improvisation, Trump praised his main advisors, including his son-in-law Jared Kushner and businessman Steven Witkoff, to whom he attributed a central role in negotiations with Arab and Muslim countries.

Deputies expelled for interrupting Trump

The speech was interrupted for a moment by a communist deputy who shouted at Donald Trump while showing a sign that read “Recognize Palestine”, before being expelled from the room.

At least one other deputy was also expelled.

“Adversaries will be partners”

For the near future, the US President announced the creation of the Board of Peace, an international platform to coordinate the reconstruction of Gaza with the support of rich Arab countries, guaranteeing that the US will lead this effort and that “the necessary resources are already guaranteed”.

“Today, many of those who were our adversaries are ready to be our partners. And, who knows, even our friends. This is a moment that will be remembered for generations as the moment when everything began to change — and to change for the better,” said Trump, making a direct appeal to the Palestinian leadership.

“This is your opportunity to choose construction over destruction, development over fanaticism,” Trump said.

“You can be nicer, Bibi”

The North American leader also reaffirmed his commitment to expanding the Abraham Accords, urging other countries in the region to join the initiative.

In the final part of the speech, Trump addressed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with a spontaneous comment: “Now you can be a little nicer, Bibi. You’re no longer at war”, before asking for a pardon for his legal proceedings.

“We need Americans”

After his stop in Israel, Trump arrived in Egypt, where world leaders gathered for a summit on Gaza. Egypt says, through its Foreign Minister, that the success of Trump’s vision for peace in the Middle East will depend on your ongoing commitment with the process.

“We need American involvement, even sending troops on the ground, to identify the mission, task and mandate of this force,” Badr Abdelatty told the AP agency.

It is expected that there will be a formal signing ceremony for the peace agreement, which has not been scheduled.