Speaker of the Knesset Amir Ohana welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday to the Israeli parliament on Monday, calling him “the best friend that Israel has ever had in the White House.”
Ohana began his remarks by welcoming those present, in Hebrew — then breaking into English to recognize members of the U.S. Cabinet and Armed Forces present. He also recognized Ron Dermer, the American-born Israeli adviser who led negotiations for the Netanyahu government; and U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. He also acknowledged Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, who returned to the fore as talks with the broader Arab world became salient in the final days of the diplomatic effort.
Ohana also recognized his “favorite rock star,” U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee; as well as Israel’s ambassador to the U.S., Yechiel Leiter. He returned to Hebrew to recognize Israel’s leaders, including Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir; the head of the Mossad, David Barnea; and the leader of hostage negotiations, Gal Hirsch.
Ohana recalled Trump’s achievements, including recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, moving the U.S. embassy to Israel, and signing the Abraham Accords, and confronting Iran over its nuclear program.
Ohana praised Trump for his approach to foreign affairs and backing allies. “America First, but not America alone,” he said.
He said that Trump stood before the Knesset “not as just another American president, but as a giant of Jewish history.” He compared Trump to the Persian emperor Cyrus the Great, who allowed Jews to return from exile to Jerusalem to rebuild the Holy Temple.
“What the world needs now is not appeasers,” he said, “… is more Trumps.”
Ohana then praised Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his steadfast commitment to winning the war, against pressure both outside the country and in the country.
“The right man, at the right time.”
He also acknowledged the sacrifices of the IDF soldiers who had fought for two years, before returning to Trump. He said that President Trump had done more than any individual on earth to bring about the deal to end the war, and said Israel would campaign to see Trump rewarded with the Nobel Peace Prize next year.
“Only those who are prepared to use force in the present can prevent the need to use it in the future,” he said.
He welcomed the hostages back home, and concluded, to a standing ovation: “May God bless you, President Trump, may God bless the United States of America, and may God bless the State of Israel.”
Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of The Zionist Conspiracy Wants You, now available on Amazon. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.
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