Tensions Flare in Israeli Parliament as Pro-Palestine Lawmakers Dragged Out Mid-Speech
Two lawmakers were expelled from Israel’s parliament during Trump’s speech after holding pro-Palestine signs.
U.S. President Donald Trump delivered a triumphant address to Israel's Knesset on Monday, hailing the release of the final 20 living Israeli hostages from Gaza as the "historic dawn of a new Middle East." The speech, delivered hours after Hamas handed over the captives as part of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire, marked a pivotal moment in the two-year conflict that began with the October 7, 2023, attacks. Trump arrived in Jerusalem to a hero's welcome, greeted by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, who described the president as a "giant" in Jewish history. The event underscored Trump's role in mediating the 20-point peace plan, which includes phased ceasefires, hostage exchanges, and steps toward regional stability.
The address was briefly disrupted when two left-wing lawmakers—Ayman Odeh, an Arab-Israeli leader of the Hadash-Ta'al party, and Ofer Cassif, a Jewish far-left member of the same coalition—unfurled signs reading "Recognize Palestine" and shouted slogans in Hebrew. Security personnel swiftly escorted them from the chamber, prompting applause from the remaining parliamentarians. Knesset Speaker Ohana apologized to Trump, who quipped, "That was very efficient," eliciting another round of cheers and chants of "Trump." The incident highlighted persistent divisions in Israeli politics over Palestinian statehood, with Netanyahu's government rejecting immediate recognition despite the peace framework's long-term provisions for a sovereign Palestine. Odeh later posted on X that the protest aimed to "demand justice" against what he called Israeli "occupation and apartheid."
Trump resumed his remarks by praising key U.S. negotiators, including Special Envoy Steve Witkoff—whom he likened to "Henry Kissinger who doesn't leak"—and son-in-law Jared Kushner, for their roles in securing the deal. The agreement, finalized after talks in Egypt's Sharm el-Sheikh, saw Hamas release the hostages in two groups: seven initially, followed by 13 more, transferred via the Red Cross to Israeli custody. In exchange, Israel began freeing nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, including 250 serving long sentences, and partially withdrawing forces from Gaza. Trump declared the skies "calm, the guns silent," vowing an end to the "age of terror" and crediting the deal's success to withdrawing from the 2015 Iran nuclear accord.
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The hostage returns capped a grueling ordeal for families, with emotional reunions unfolding at hospitals in Tel Aviv and southern Israel. Celebrations erupted in Tel Aviv's Hostage Square, where crowds had rallied for two years, though some families, like that of soldier Matan Angrest, expressed mixed relief amid criticism of prolonged negotiations. The ceasefire's first phase allows hundreds of aid trucks into Gaza daily, addressing humanitarian crises in the devastated enclave, where residents began returning to rubble-strewn homes. International leaders, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, pledged support for reconstruction and urged U.N. backing for subsequent phases.
As Trump prepared to depart for a peace summit in Egypt—delayed by his extended 65-minute speech—analysts noted the deal's fragility. While it halts immediate fighting, unresolved issues like Hamas's disarmament and Gaza's governance loom large. Netanyahu, absent from the summit due to Jewish holidays, reaffirmed commitment to the plan alongside Trump. The Knesset's unruly atmosphere, known for heated debates, reflected broader tensions, but the day's events offered cautious optimism for enduring peace in a region scarred by decades of conflict.
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