Following the announcement in Oslo on Friday by the Nobel Peace Prize Committee that the opposition leader in Venezuela, María Corina Machado, was the winner of the prize for 2025, a significant disappointment was felt among many circles in Israel who had hoped for a victory for US President Donald Trump, triggering a new effort to honor the US leader over his efforts to bring back hostages. Ronny Douek, an Israel prize laureate, decided to nominate the president of the United States for the Israel Prize for lifetime achievement, which is awarded on the upcoming Independence Day. In an appeal submitted to Education Minister Yoav Kisch, Duak sought to permit the exceptional awarding of the prize, even to someone who is not a citizen and resident of Israel, due to his unique contribution. The Israel Prize is considered to be the most prestigious award by the state.
In the nomination form, Douek specified that "President Trump demonstrated by his actions, more than any other world leader in our generation, his uncompromising commitment to the security of the state of Israel and peace in the middle east." He continued: "He is a leader who acted with great determination, courage, and a deep love for the people of Israel, and truly paved a new path of hope and regional partnership.
CENTCOM has confirmed that the Israeli Defense Forces completed the first phase withdrawal to the yellow line at 12PM local time. The 72 hour period to release the hostages has begun.
— Special Envoy Steve Witkoff (@SEPeaceMissions) October 10, 2025
Thanks to his direct leadership, historic peace agreements were achieved, Israel's security interests were successfully preserved, and genuine hope for a better future for all of us was established."
Douek went on to add that "right now, through his current efforts to secure the return of the hostages and bring the war in Gaza to an end in a way that will guarantee security and stability for Israel – he is once again proving his deep commitment to the Jewish people and to the values of peace. I strongly believe that the state of Israel must express its deep appreciation for this by awarding the Israel prize for lifetime achievement to President Trump on the upcoming Independence Day."
