Asia Pacific Report
Two leftwing opposition members of the Knesset protested in the middle of US President Donald Trump’s historic and rambling speech praising the Gaza ceasefire and his administration in West Jerusalem today.
MK Ayman Odeh, a lawyer and chair of the mainly Arab Hadash-Ta’al party, was escorted out of the Knesset plenum after holding up a protest sign calling on Trump to “recognise Palestine”.
It was a day filled with emotion as Hamas released the 20 last living Israeli captives and the Israeli military began freeing 2000 Palestinian prisoners, many of them held without charge.
- READ MORE: Joy as Palestinians prisoners freed after Israeli captives released
- Trump addresses the Knesset and speaks of ‘historic dawn for new Middle East’
Lawmaker Odeh is a strong advocate for Palestinian statehood, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyaho’s government opposes.
Ofer Cassif, the party’s only Jewish MK, also tried to hold up a protest sign and was removed from the chamber.
After the interruption, President Trump quipped: “That was very efficient” — and then carried on with his speech.
Previously, Odeh posted on his X account: “The amount of hypocrisy in the plenum is unbearable.
‘Crimes against humanity’
“To crown Netanyahu through flattery the likes of which has never been seen, through an orchestrated group, does not absolve him and his government of the crimes against humanity committed in Gaza, nor of the responsibility for the blood of hundreds of thousands of Palestinian victims and thousands of Israeli victims.
“But only because of the ceasefire and the overall deal am I here.
“Only ending the occupation, and only recognising the State of Palestine alongside Israel, will bring justice, peace, and security to all.”
The brief interruption did not deflect from Trump’s speech that was effusive in its praise for Israel, the country’s leadership, the hostages and their families, and its military and so-called “victory” in Gaza.
הוציאו אותי מהמליאה רק כי העליתי את הדרישה הפשוטה ביותר, דרישה שכל הקהילה הבינלאומית מסכימה עליה:
להכיר במדינה פלסטינית.
להכיר במציאות הפשוטה הזו:
יש כאן שני עמים, ואף אחד לא זז מכאן. pic.twitter.com/vIsj4KG7vf
— איימן עודה أيمن عودة Ayman Odeh (@AyOdeh) October 13, 2025
Trump claimed the region was poised for a “historic dawn of a new Middle East” and referred to Palestinians, without addressing their decades-old fight for self-determination and statehood.
“The choice for Palestinians could not be more clear,” the US president argued.
“This is their chance to turn forever from the path of terror and violence — it’s been extreme — to exile the wicked forces of hate that are in their midst, and I think that’s going to happen,” Trump said.
Tear gas fired
An Israeli armoured vehicle fired tear gas and rubber bullets at Palestinians gathered near Ofer Prison in the occupied West Bank, where hundreds had assembled to await the release of prisoners,
Earlier, the Israeli military, in a post on X, reported that the International Red Cross had transferred the final 13 captives held by Hamas to Shin Bet forces in the Gaza Strip, after an earlier group of seven had been released.
Al Jazeera Arabic, citing Palestinian sources, also reported that the handover of all 20 living captives had now been completed.
Al Jazeera’s Nour Adeh reported from Amman, Jordan, because Al Jazeera is banned from reporting from Israel and the Occupied West Bank, that the Israeli Broadcasting Authority had confirmed that the Red Cross had received the remaining 13 living Israeli captives.
“They will soon be handed over to the custody of the Israeli military, which, of course, is still present in 53 percent of Gaza,” she said.
“That means that we are in the process of concluding the release of all living Israeli captives, and that is all happening as US President Trump arrived in Israel.
“These are important developments, and the choreography is not coincidental.”
Remaining in Gaza were the bodies of 28 Israeli captives, and it was not clear how many of them will be released today.
As part of the ceasefire, the Israeli military were releasing almost 2000 Palestinian prisoners — including 1700 who had been kidnapped from Gaza, and 250 Palestinians serving life or long sentences.
President Trump was due to fly to the Sharm el-Sheikh respirt in Egypt later today for a summit aimed at advancing Washington’s plans for Gaza and the region.
