Washington D.C.: In a significant diplomatic gesture, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has formally put forward President Donald Trump’s name for the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize. The nomination was made through a letter to the Nobel Committee, a copy of which Netanyahu personally handed over to Trump during a private dinner at the White House on Monday.
“The President has already realised great opportunities. He forged the Abraham Accords. He’s forging peace as we speak in one country, in one region after the other. So, I want to present to you, Mr. President, the letter I sent to the Nobel Prize Committee. It’s nominating you for the Peace Prize, which is well deserved, and you should get it,” Netanyahu stated, presenting the nomination to a seemingly surprised Trump. The former US President, visibly pleased, thanked Netanyahu, acknowledging the gesture as “very meaningful” coming from him.
During their White House dinner, Netanyahu lauded Trump’s leadership, expressing appreciation from Israelis, the Jewish people, and admirers worldwide for his guidance of the free world and his pursuit of peace and security, particularly in the Middle East. Trump, too, spoke of their “tremendous success together” and anticipated “great results” in the future.
Earlier in the day, Netanyahu held a “substantive and important conversation” with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at Blair House. Their discussions focused on strengthening the alliance between Israel and the US and addressing shared regional and international challenges.
Prior to his departure for the United States on Sunday, Netanyahu had conveyed that Israeli negotiators had been given clear instructions to secure a ceasefire under conditions agreeable to Israel. He expressed hope that his meeting with Trump could “definitely help advance this” deal regarding the remaining hostages held in Gaza. Of the 251 captives from the October 2023 attack, 49 are still in Gaza, with the Israeli military reporting 27 of them as deceased. Netanyahu had previously deemed Hamas’s response to a US-backed ceasefire proposal as “unacceptable.” The draft proposal, mediated by Qatar and Egypt, outlines a 60-day ceasefire, a phased release of captives, Israeli troop withdrawals from parts of Gaza, and subsequent discussions to end the conflict.
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