Journalism of Courage
US President Donald Trump on Monday addressed Israel’s Knesset, the same day Hamas released all 20 living hostages, who had been in captivity for more than two years.
Trump, who played a key role in ending the two-year-long conflict and release of the hostages, was given a standing ovation by the Knesset.
However, the US President’s speech did not go as smooth as his initial reception as he was briefly helcekd by to MPs.
Trump’s speech was interrupted by two members of the Knesset, who were then escorted out by the security.
Ofer Cassif, a member of the Jewish-Arab Hadash party since March 2019 in the Knesset, was bundled out by security after a loud noise and shouts towards Trump.
Ayman Odeh, a fellow Arab-Israeli member of the Knesset from the same Hadash alliance political group, was also removed from the chamber for heckling the US President during his speech.
Earlier in the day, Cassif had posted on X, stating that Trump would be making “a victory speech, undoubtedly filled with self-aggrandisement and lies.”
In his social media post, Cassif also objected to Trump’s previous comments that “Gazans would relocate permanently, not be able to return.” The 60-year-old ended the post saying “Oh, and one more thing:
Release the Epstein files!.”
In his speech at the Knesset, Trump hailed a “historic dawn” in the Middle East.
“This is the historic dawn of a new Middle East. After so many years of unceasing war and endless danger, today, the skies are calm, the guns are silent, the sirens are still, and the sun rises on a Holy Land that is finally at peace,” he said.
Commenting on the October 7, 2023, terror attack by Hamas, Trump said it “struck to the core of humanity itself.”
“To all the families whose lives were forever changed by the atrocities of that day, and to all the people of Israel, please know that America joins you in those two everlasting vows — Never forget, and never again,” Trump said.
