Donald Trump and his top team were welcomed with rapturous applause at the Israeli Knesset as the last living hostages in Gaza were released from captivity.
Members of the Knesset guard sounded trumpets before lawmakers applauded individual members of Trump’s administration at length in the parliament building on Monday.
Senior officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, were hailed by Israeli politicians during a series of speeches praising the work of American officials to bring peace to the region.
Rubio was cheered and received a standing ovation from politicians and the small American contingent, which included Trump’s daughter Ivanka and her husband, advisor Jared Kushner.
The crowd chanted U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff’s name, after his address at a rally for the hostages in Tel Aviv on Saturday was repeatedly interrupted by boos at the mention of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Speaker Amir Ohana thanked the team in English “for everything that you have done to bring about this day” before welcoming “my dear friend and my absolute favourite rockstar” ambassador Mike Huckabee.
Huckabee waved and gave two thumbs up to the panel, sat among senior U.S. officials overlooking the stage.
Politicians turned to face Hegseth and Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, as Ohana welcomed them to the parliament building.
Kushner and Ivanka were welcomed together with Witkoff and his wife for their roles representing the U.S. delegation throughout the war between Israel and Hamas.
The U.S. contingent sat together, with Ivanka front and centre with a view over the podium.
During his opening address, Ohana, speaking in Hebrew, cited Witkoff in praising Netanyahu for making “very difficult decisions” and said “we wouldn’t have reached this point if Prime Minister Netanyahu hadn’t acted the way he did”.
The president himself was given a two-and-a-half-minute standing ovation as he arrived to hear from senior Israeli officials and address the parliament on Monday.
The speaker told Trump he had become “one of the most consequential presidents in history” and said he would pair with U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson to lobby for Trump’s candidacy for next year’s Nobel Peace Prize.
“There is no one more deserving than you, President Trump. No one!” he said, met with more applause.
Netanyahu, flanking Trump, then took to the stage and was met with chants of “Bibi! Bibi! Bibi!” from lawmakers.
The Israeli prime minister listed off some of Trump’s achievements before declaring, “Donald Trump is the greatest friend Israel has ever had in the White House.”
Chants of “Trump! Trump! Trump!” again came from the audience as Trump pointed into the crowd.
Netanyahu went on to hail a proposed deal that “ends the war by achieving all our objectives” and “opens the door to an historic expansion of peace in our region and beyond our region”.
He said Trump would be the first non-Israeli recipient of the Israel prize, the country’s highest award.
“As to that other prize, just a question of time. You’ll get it,” he joked.
Trump takes victory lap in speech to Knesset
Ukraine live: Trump says ‘we’ve got to get Russia done’ after Tomahawk threat
Trump-Israel latest: Protests interrupt Knesset speech after all hostages released
Watch emotional moment freed hostage Eitan Mor reunited with family in Israel
Trump squashes rumors that ‘awkward’ Barron is struggling at NYU
Mystery meetings and lockdowns: Maxwell’s arrival at Texas prison unsettled inmates
