President Trump hails ‘historic dawn’ of new Middle East in speech to Knesset

President Donald Trump, speaking Monday to the Israeli Knesset as hostages held in Gaza since the beginning of the Oct. 7 war returned home, hailed the ceasefire and said the accomplishment should mark the beginning of a new Middle East founded on cooperation between Israel and its neighbors and an end to terror.  

“This is not only the end of a war, this is the end of an age of terror and death and the beginning of an age of faith and hope and of God,” Trump told the Israeli lawmakers and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 

The American president lauded the ceasefire and hostage exchange, painstakingly negotiated between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas through the mediation of the U.S. and a handful of Arab states, as the turning point that he hopes will usher in the new vision for the region. 

“This is the historic dawn of a new Middle East,” Trump said. 

“It's an incredible triumph for Israel and the world to have all of these nations working together as partners in peace,” the president said after thanking the Arab partners that helped to pressure Hamas. Several Arab and Muslim partners of the United States were involved in pressuring Hamas to end the war, including Egypt, Qatar and Turkey. 

Though welcomed with thunderous applause, Trump’s speech was not received well by all the Israeli lawmakers present. Several were removed from the chambers for holding signs reading “Recognize Palestine.”