Trump to receive Israel's highest honor as he grants Netanyahu a free hand in Mar-a-Lago lovefest
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will award President Donald Trump the IsraelPrize, making the US leader the first non-Israeli to receive the award.
Donald Trump is still on the hunt for the Nobel prize.
But in the interim, he'll have to settle for Israel's highest honor.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated Monday he will award the American president the Israel Prize, making Trump the first non-Israeli to receive the award.
The Israeli leader's surprise announcement came after the two leaders met for hours to discuss the future of Gaza and Middle Eastern affairs. The meeting and press availabilities were affable, with the leaders repeatedly complimenting each other's leadership and strong resolve.
The kind interactions and presidential award come as Trump's Gaza ceasefire plan has stalled, and the tenuous agreement is threatened by both Hamas and Israel accusing one another of violating the agreement.
Challenging humanitarian and logistical concerns remain as both sides work to enter into phase two of the plan, in which Hamas must disarm and an unspecified international stabilizing force is to be deployed to Gaza.
'We decided to break a convention too, or create a new one, and that is to award the Israel Prize, which in almost our 80 years we've never awarded to a non-Israeli, and we're going to award it this year to President Trump,' Netanyahu said at a press conference after a meeting with the president at Mar-a-Lago.
The Israel Prize is the nation's highest cultural honor and has been awarded annually for the last 72 years since 1953. It typically celebrates contributions to the humanities, sciences, arts and Jewish culture.
U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago after being informed he will be awarded the Israel Prize
The Israel Prize logo. Israel Prize recipients typically receive a pin and ribbon with this logo
The two leaders noted their friendly relationship while also mentioning how they can disagree amicably at times
Zubin Mehta, an Indian orchestra conductor, was awarded a special prize at the Israel Prize ceremony in 1991, though it is unclear if he won the full distinction. Mehta lived in Israel for years and led the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.
The award is typically given out on Israel's independence day on April 21. Netanyahu shared that he hopes Trump will receive the award in person in Israel.