Trump heading to Jerusalem on Sunday - says 1st stage of ‘historic & unprecedented’ peace deal is done
All hostages to be released ‘very soon’
DENVER, COLORADO — President Donald J. Trump is heading to Israel on Sunday.
He is expected to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and deliver a major address to the Knesset — Israel’s parliament — in Jerusalem.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has invited Trump to visit Israel, given that the final round of negotiations took place in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, and that two years of talks have been conducted in Cairo.
However, at this point, there is no indication from the White House that Trump will visit Egypt.
Rather, he wants to speak directly to the people of Israel — America’s most trusted and faithful ally in the region and the target of Iran’s seven-front war.
"I am expected to arrive in Israel in the coming days,” Trump told a reporter for Axios News.
“They want me to speak in the Knesset, and I will definitely do so if they want it that way."
"My conversation with Bibi was great. He is happy — and rightfully so. This is a big achievement. The whole world rallied to reach this agreement, including countries that were previously enemies."
From the White House, Trump announced at 5:06 p.m. Mountain Time on Wednesday that his negotiators had achieved a dramatic breakthrough in Sharm.
Two full years after Hamas invaded Israel from the Gaza Strip — slaughtering 1,200 civilians and soldiers, and taking 251 innocent civilians hostage — igniting the longest and most painful war in Israel’s modern history, Trump says peace is now palpable.
“I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first phase of our peace plan,” the President declared on social media.
“This means that ALL of the hostages will be released very soon and Israel will withdraw their troops to an agreed-upon line as the first steps toward a strong, durable, and everlasting peace,” he continued.
“All parties will be treated fairly,” he promised — an apparent message to Hamas that Israeli military forces will not attack them during the release and transfer of the hostages.
It is believed that 48 hostages remain in Hamas captivity.
Twenty of them are believed to still be alive.
Trump added, “This is a GREAT day for the Arab and Muslim world, Israel, and all surrounding nations, and the United States. We thank the mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey who worked with us to make this historic and unprecedented event happen.”
The President then added, in all caps, “BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS!”
Hope is surging throughout Israel, especially among families whose loved ones have been held captive in Gaza for 733 days.
But there are many questions as well.
Will Hamas keep its word and really give back all the hostages — alive and dead?
Will Hamas truly lay down its weapons and surrender?
Can Gaza truly be demilitarized and rebuilt under direct supervision by the Israel Defense Forces?
This is a fast-moving and rapidly developing story — stay tuned to ALL ISRAEL NEWS for regular updates and coverage from all angles.
Joel C. Rosenberg is the editor-in-chief of ALL ISRAEL NEWS and ALL ARAB NEWS and the President and CEO of Near East Media. A New York Times best-selling author, Middle East analyst, and Evangelical leader, he lives in Jerusalem with his wife and sons.
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