As Donald Trump savoured the cheers of Israeli lawmakers it was a moment of triumph for the US president — and as usual he made the most of it.
The 79-year-old hailed a “historic dawn” for the Middle East and declared the end of a “painful nightmare” with the Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal he helped broker.
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But Trump also let no one forget that the deal is the high watermark so far for his own turbulent second term in the White House.
“I’ve been involved in a lot of success. I have never seen anything like what’s going on today,” the Republican said, adding that people were “dancing in the streets” about the deal.
Trump got a hero’s welcome from the Israeli parliament, which gave him a long standing ovation, with some audience members even wearing red MAGA-style hats saying “Trump the Peace President”.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Trump the “greatest friend of Israel”.
In typical style Trump did not miss the chance to bash his political rivals, including former president Joe Biden, while proclaiming the United States the “hottest country in the world”.
In a speech peppered with jokes that often veered off script, the former reality TV star also gave shout-outs to his friends, family and allies for helping him broker the deal.
He even urged a pardon for Netanyahu over a corruption case, adding: “Cigars and some champagne — who the hell cares.”
– ‘His deal’ –
The rapturous reception in Israel reflected the praise that the often divisive Trump has received at home and abroad for the Gaza deal.
Trump has been mocked for calling himself the “peacemaker-in-chief ” while sending US troops into cities at home, while campaigning unsuccessfully for the Nobel Peace Prize.
But given that every US president for the past 20 or more years has tried and failed to resolve the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, Trump’s achievement is already remarkable.
Even political opponents in the United States have hailed Trump’s role in the Gaza deal, which saw the release of all living hostages held by Hamas shortly before his arrival.
“This was his deal. He worked this out,” Mark Kelly, the Democratic Senator for Arizona, told CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday.
Jake Sullivan, who as Democrat Biden’s adviser on national security handled the aftermath of Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, told the same program that “I give credit to President Trump”.
He also praised Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner, who was in the audience in the Knesset with Trump’s daughter Ivanka.
“The question is, can we make sure this sticks as we go forward?” added Sullivan.
– ‘Ultimate prize’ –
After his victory lap in Israel, Trump now faces a marathon task to secure the legacy of a lasting peace in the Middle East.
Trump appeared to be keenly aware of that as he used his speech to proclaim the dawn of a new regional order that could lead to long-term stability.
He told the Knesset that Israel had “won all that they can through force of arms” and said it was now time “translate these victories… into the ultimate prize of peace and prosperity for the Middle East”.
But the path to peace is littered with obstacles — and Trump is not known for his attention to the fine print.
Hamas’s refusal to disarm and Israel’s failure to pledge a full withdrawal from the devastated territory are all key, unresolved issues that could yet torpedo a longer-term deal.
As he headed from Israel to Egypt, Trump will hope to make a start on those at the Gaza summit with around 20 world leaders in the resort of Sharm El-Sheikh.
The US president jokingly admitted, however, that he may not have made the best of starts after he overstayed in Israel and kept the leaders waiting for some three hours.
“I’ll be quite late. They might not be there by the time I get there,” he told the Knesset.
AFP