Last week, all eyes were on the Nobel Committee as they were set to announce the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize—an honor many around the world believed should be awarded to President Donald Trump, especially in light of his Israel-Hamas peace deal. While that didn’t happen this year, with the award going to Venezuela’s opposition leader Maria Corina Machado for her "tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy,” many Israeli officials on Monday said he was worthy of the prize.
Speaking in the Knesset ahead of Trump's remarks, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had no doubt Trump would be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in the future, but in the meantime, he announced another award he nominated Trump for: to be the first non-Israeli recipient of the nation's prestigious Israel Prize.
The Israel Prize is the most important and prestigious prize awarded by the State of Israel. The prize was initiated by then-Minister of Education Professor Ben-Zion Dinur in 1953, and since then has been awarded annually at the close of Independence Day, in an official state ceremony held in Jerusalem in the presence of the President of the State, the Prime Minister, the Speaker of the Knesset, the President of the Supreme Court, the Mayor of Jerusalem and the Minister of Education.
The Israel Prize committees of judges present the Minister of Education with their annual recommendations for prize recipients in a diverse range of fields of endeavor in Israel. The prizes are awarded to Israeli citizens, groups or corporations that have displayed excellence and outstanding achievements, reached breakthroughs in their field or made an exceptional contribution to Israeli society. (The Knesset)
Netanyahu has nominated President Trump as the only non-Israeli to ever receive the country’s highest prize: The Israel Prize
— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) October 13, 2025
NETANYAHU says he has submitted Donald Trump's nomination to be the first non-Israeli recipient of the "Israel Prize," Israel's highest award.
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) October 13, 2025
"As to that other prize, just a question of time, you'll get it!" pic.twitter.com/VqHLw1Qzrf
“Donald Trump is the greatest friend that the State of Israel has ever had in the White House,” Netanyahu declared Monday.
