Israeli lawmakers wear ‘Trump: The Peace President’ hats as Trump declares ‘New Dawn for the Middle East’
Israeli lawmakers wore red “Trump: The Peace President” caps as US President Donald Trump delivered a Knesset speech on Monday, celebrating a US-brokered ceasefire with Hamas. Trump hailed Israel’s battlefield victories, urged a shift toward peace, and pledged support for Gaza’s reconstruction.
Israeli lawmakers turned out in force wearing bright red caps emblazoned with the slogan “Trump: The Peace President” as US President Donald Trump delivered a historic address to Israel’s parliament on Monday (October 13), celebrating a landmark ceasefire that ended two years of war with Hamas.
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The caps — a clear echo of Trump’s signature “Make America Great Again” look — were handed out inside the Knesset ahead of the speech, with many officials pairing them with red ties in a show of admiration. Lawmakers repeatedly rose to their feet, chanting Trump’s name and giving him multiple standing ovations as he declared that Israel had “won” on the battlefield and must now “win peace.”
From battlefield victory to peace
“You’ve won,” Trump told the packed chamber, greeted as a hero. “Now it is time to translate these victories against terrorists into the ultimate prize of peace and prosperity for the entire Middle East.”
The US-brokered ceasefire, signed last week, has halted fighting between Israel and Hamas after nearly two years of devastation in Gaza. It includes the release of the final 20 Israeli hostages and nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, along with the reopening of border crossings to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza.
Trump pledged American support for rebuilding the war-torn enclave, urging Palestinians to “turn forever from the path of terror and violence” and instead focus on “building their people up.”
Netanyahu praised and pardon called for
In an unexpected twist, Trump called on Israel’s president to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, facing ongoing corruption charges, calling him “one of the greatest wartime leaders.” Netanyahu, in turn, hailed Trump as “the greatest friend Israel has ever had in the White House.”
The speech — punctuated by applause, chants, and red caps waving in the air — marked a defining moment in Trump’s push to reshape the Middle East. From the Knesset, he departed for Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, where he is leading a summit of over 20 nations on the future of Gaza and the fragile new peace.