Israeli lawmakers wore bright red caps with the slogan “Trump: The Peace President” as US President Donald Trump delivered a historic speech to Israel's parliament on Monday (October 13), marking a historic ceasefire that ended two years of war with Hamas.
The caps – a clear echo of Trump's signature “Make America Great Again” look – were handed out in the Knesset ahead of the speech, with many officials pairing them with red ties in admiration. Lawmakers repeatedly stood up, chanted Trump's name and gave him multiple standing ovations as he declared that Israel had “won” on the battlefield and now must “win the peace.”
From victory on the battlefield to peace
“You won,” Trump told the packed room, greeted like a hero. “Now is the 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 destruction in Gaza. It includes the release of the last twenty Israeli hostages and nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, along with the reopening of border crossings to allow humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Trump pledged US support for rebuilding the war-torn enclave, urging Palestinians to “forever turn away from the path of terror and violence” and focus instead on “building up their people.”
Netanyahu was praised and asked for a pardon
In an unexpected twist, Trump called on Israel's president to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces ongoing corruption charges, calling him “one of the greatest wartime leaders.” Netanyahu, in turn, praised 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 quest to reshape the Middle East. From the Knesset he left for Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, where he will lead a summit of more than twenty countries on the future of Gaza and the fragile new peace.
