Following what many in Israel considered a snub by the Nobel Committee on Friday, after it awarded the Peace Prize to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, Israel Prize laureate Ronny Douek formally nominated U.S. President Donald J. Trump for the country’s highest civilian honor, hailing him as “a leader who, more than any other in our generation, has proven through his actions an unwavering commitment to Israel’s security and to peace in the Middle East.”
The Israel Prize—often called Israel’s equivalent of the Nobel and awarded annually on Independence Day—is the state’s most prestigious distinction. Because it is rarely granted to non-citizens, Douek filed his nomination letter on Friday to Education Minister Yoav Kisch, requesting an exemption so Trump can receive the Israel Prize for Lifetime Achievement and Special Contribution to Society and the State.
Douek emphasized Trump’s current diplomacy at the top of his appeal, writing that “right now, through his current efforts to secure the return of the hostages and bring the war in Gaza to an end in a way that will guarantee security and stability for Israel—he is once again proving his deep commitment to the Jewish people and to the values of peace,” and urging Israel to honor him on the upcoming Independence Day.
He framed the case broadly, saying Trump “acted with great determination, courage, and a deep love for the people of Israel, and truly paved a new path of hope and regional partnership.” He added that “thanks to his direct leadership, historic peace agreements were achieved, Israel’s security interests were successfully preserved, and genuine hope for a better future for all of us was established.”
The Jerusalem Post further reported that Douek’s nomination cites the president’s ongoing push to advance a ceasefire and hostage-release framework and details major first-term achievements that, in Douek’s view, set the stage: U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and the 2018 embassy move; recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights in 2019; and the U.S.-brokered Abraham Accords with the UAE and Bahrain, later joined by Morocco and Sudan.
The paper also noted the nominator’s broader characterization of Trump’s regional influence, including efforts toward de-escalation with Syria and constraining Hezbollah.
Momentum for recognition had been building all week. On Monday, families of Israeli hostages urged the Nobel Committee “with momentous urgency” to honor Trump for driving a hostage-release and ceasefire deal, and later in the week world leaders, lawmakers, and public figures amplified the push, arguing “no leader has done more for peace and should be awarded the prize.”
The White House echoed the message Friday as the Oslo decision landed, with Communications Director Steven Cheung saying the committee “placed politics over peace,” and describing Trump as a leader who “will continue making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives.”
Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office amplified the same line on X: “The Nobel Committee talks about peace. President @realDonaldTrump makes it happen. The facts speak for themselves. President #Trump deserves it.”
María Corina Machado, this year’s Nobel Peace Prize recipient, said she dedicates the award “to the people of Venezuela and to President Donald Trump for his decisive support,” adding that Venezuelans “need his support more than ever.”
Trump’s historic efforts to broker hostage releases and his first-term breakthroughs, combined with Friday’s reaction to Oslo, have made the Israel Prize the natural venue to honor his record of advancing peace.
Joshua Klein is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @JoshuaKlein.
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