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<\/a><\/p>\nPresident Donald Trump holds a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his Mar-a-Lago club on Dec. 29, 2025 in Palm Beach, Florida. (Joe Raedle\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Trump was informed he had won the prize during a meeting with Netanyahu at his Mar-a\u2013Lago estate as the pair discussed plans to push the ceasefire in Gaza into its second phase, a process that has stalled in recent months.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor the first time in the history of the State of Israel: The Israel Prize will be awarded to President Trump!,\u201d wrote Israeli Education Minister Yoav Kisch in a post on X. \u201cThis is a historic decision that expresses recognition of President Trump\u2019s extraordinary contribution and lasting impact on the Jewish people in Israel and around the world.\u201d<\/p>\n
On a call with Kisch during the meeting, Trump said the award was a \u201cgreat honor,\u201d adding that to be the \u201cfirst one outside of Israel is really something.\u201d<\/p>\n
While the prize has infrequently been awarded to non-Israeli citizens in its history, including to Indian conductor Zubin Mehta in 1991, Monday\u2019s announcement marked the first time that a foreign leader has received the accolade.<\/p>\n
According to the Jerusalem Post, the guidelines for the prize mandate that candidates must be Israeli citizens, with the exception of \u201ccandidates for the Israel Prize for Diaspora Jewry and\/or for a special contribution to the Jewish people.\u201d Mehta, for example, was music director of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.<\/p>\n
Speaking beside Trump on Monday at a press conference in Florida amid negotiations for the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal, Netanyahu said that Trump would receive the award for his \u201ctremendous contributions to Israel and the Jewish people.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPresident Trump has broken so many conventions to the surprise of people, and then they figure out, oh, well, maybe you know, he was right after all,\u201d said Netanyahu. \u201cSo we decided to break a convention to or create a new one, and that is to award the Israel Prize, which, in almost our 80 years, we\u2019ve never awarded it to a non-Israeli, and we\u2019re going to award it this year to President Trump.\u201d<\/p>\n
Netanyahu added that the award \u201creflects the overwhelming sentiment of Israelis across the spectrum.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThey appreciate what you\u2019ve done to help Israel and to help our common battle against the terrorists and those who would destroy our civilization,\u201d continued Netanyahu.<\/p>\n
Trump has made no secret of coveting and appreciating prizes, having frequently said that he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize. Netanyahu was among the world leaders, including officials from Pakistan and Cambodia, who nominated Trump for the Nobel. Earlier this month, the international soccer federation FIFA awarded Trump its inaugural \u201cFIFA Peace Prize.\u201d<\/p>\n