The Nobel Peace Prize is an honor that US President Donald Trump has long sought after one of his predecessors, Barack Obama, was awarded it in 2009. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Tuesday that he had nominated Trump for the award.
With his name on the nomination form, Netanyahu gave Trump a copy of the letter he had sent to the Norwegian Nobel Committee. As he permitted US aircraft to fly into Iranian territory and bomb its nuclear facilities last month, ending a 12-day Israel-Iran confrontation, Netanyahu spoke to Trump's "leadership of a just cause."
As the Israeli prime minister commended the US president's "extraordinary team," Netanyahu described Trump as being in the "pursuit of peace and security" in "many lands."
“I want to express the appreciation and admiration, not only of all Israelis, but of the Jewish people and many, many admirers around the world for your leadership,” Netanyahu reportedly said.
This is Netanyahu's third visit to the United States since Trump's January return to the White House and his first encounter with the US president following the conclusion of the Iran dispute. The Israeli leader had stated before departing for Washington that his conversations with the Trump administration could assist move forward talks between Israel and the Palestinian militant organization Hamas that are now underway in Qatar.
Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, described the conversation between Trump and Netanyahu and stated that the presidents needed to discuss "many important matters" that were "obviously ongoing" in the Middle East.