HUGH HEWITT: Trump-Netanyahu Middle East peace achievement on October 13 is truly historic

The quote “If sadness could be seen, the world would be covered in black” is often attributed to Francis Wheeler.

for two years, Israel It is packaged in black. Even when many hostages were released, the shadow remained. This becomes more profound every time one of the hundreds of IDF soldiers has been killed in Gaza or Lebanon since the Hamas invasion on October 7 and subsequent Hezbollah attacks on October 8. As Iran or the Houthis launched barrage after barrage of missiles and drones, millions were once again forced to seek shelter. It was the joy that was left on the tables and beds from which the Israelis rose in search of safety.

Now, with the release of the last 20 hostages alive, and as the ceasefire tightens, rays of light are emerging from that tortured and tested land – and songs of joy are rising once again from that nation.

Monday, October 13, will be a testament to the courage and endurance of prisoners, the courage of soldiers, the determination of diplomats, the iron will of families, the assistance of true allies, and the triumph of good over evil.

Trump celebrates peace in the Middle East after signing the Gaza agreement: “He achieved the impossible”

This week, leaders from across the region will meet to plan a new future for Gaza and establish a framework for peace, stability and prosperity. president Donald Trump He has led breakthroughs and is now leading this next phase. But it is hoped that the people of the area – Jews, Muslims, Christians, and non-believers alike – will be committed to life and to a prosperous place where children can be born and grow up “under their vine and under their fig tree.”

The obstacles to this vision are ideological, which are beliefs held by religious fanatics. These extremists have been severely weakened by the battles of the past two years. Their regimes may collapse, but countries that share the vision of the Abraham Accords must work together to suppress the export of terrorism.

“It should now be clear to everyone across this region that decades of fomenting terrorism, extremism, jihadism, and anti-Semitism have not worked — they have completely and utterly backfired,” President Trump told the Israeli Knesset on Monday. “From Gaza to IranThat bitter hatred produced nothing but misery, suffering and failure.”

Netanyahu calls Trump Israel’s “greatest friend” as final living hostages are released

The president is right, of course, and the policies he pursued in his first term – and now continued in his second – laid the foundation for the breakthroughs that made peace possible.

President Donald Trump speaks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Ben Gurion International Airport before boarding his plane to Sharm El Sheikh, on October 13, 2025, in Tel Aviv, Israel. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

When Trump ordered the strike on Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in January 2020 — when the Iranian terrorist mastermind arrived in Iraq with murder at his heart — the Middle East took a decisive turn. The Abraham Accords came months later. Diplomacy only works when it is backed by the real threat of force.

After nearly two years in the Biden-Harris-engineered stalemate that followed October 7 — where “escalation” was more feared than the desired hostage release — Trump’s return to the White House on January 20, 2025, brought clarity and purpose.

Trump is praised by MSNBC and liberal media figures for securing peace deal with Israel

The gap between Israeli and American policy was immediately closed. Trump, Netanyahu, and their teams planned and executed a stunning hoax and devastating attack on Iran’s nuclear program and ballistic missile factories. This came after Israel destroyed Hezbollah with unprecedented precision and targeted, inescapable force. The Assad regime in Syria collapsed shortly after.

The United States resumed all arms shipments to Israel and stood shoulder to shoulder with the Jewish state when it began its attack on Gaza City.

Trump never hesitated. Israel has never stopped because of complaining or chatter from think tanks.
When Trump convinced the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu By making difficult choices – remembering the recent flight of bombers towards Iran and pledging to Qatar not to strike again – the partners proved to the world that they would keep their promises.

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The partnership between the president and the prime minister will go down in history as similar to the alliance between President Reagan and Prime Minister Thatcher. It has already expanded to include Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed (MBZ) of the UAE and, hopefully soon, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) of the UAE. Kingdom of Saudi Arabiaalong with Indonesia and other Muslim-majority countries.

President Donald Trump and UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan speak on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (AP/Alex Brandon)

Hard work lies ahead. The population of the half of the Gaza Strip not yet under the protection of the IDF remains under the murderous tyranny of Hamas – terrorists who must be rooted out before any lasting rebuilding can take place.

Few believed Trump would win the 2024 presidential election. And fewer still believed he could secure a ceasefire and release the hostages during his first year in office. It is difficult for anyone to trust Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East. Steve WitkoffOr he is expected to see his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, come out of retirement to help push the deal over the finish line.

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It’s all happened. It’s history now – not up for debate. President Trump did it. If this fact bothers you, look inward. This concern is not a justified disagreement; It is spiritual exhaustion.

The rest of us will mark this moment with gratitude – for what happened Freed hostagesFor Israel’s steadfastness, and for the hope that innocent people in Gaza will finally live in peace.

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Hugh Hewitt is a Fox News Channel contributor and hostThe Hugh Hewitt Show” It is heard weekday afternoons from 3 PM to 6 PM ET on the Salem Radio Network, and simulcast on the Salem News Channel. Hugh drives Americans home on the East Coast and lunches on the West Coast at more than 400 affiliates across the country, and on all streaming platforms where SNC can be seen. He is a frequent guest on the Fox News Channel’s News Roundtable, which Hosted by Bret Baier weekdays at 6pm ET. An Ohio native, Hewitt graduated from Harvard College and the University of Michigan Law School, and has served as a professor of law at Chapman University’s Fowler School of Law since 1996, where he teaches constitutional law. Hewitt launched his eponymous radio show from Los Angeles in 1990. Hewitt has appeared frequently on every network He has hosted major national news television shows, hosted television programs for PBS and MSNBC, written for every major U.S. newspaper, authored dozens of books and ran a host of radio shows. The results of Republican presidential debates, most recently the November 2023 Republican presidential debate in Miami and four Republican presidential debates in the 2015-2016 cycle. Hewitt focuses his radio show His columns are on the Constitution, national security, American politics, and the Cleveland Browns and Guardians. Hewitt has interviewed tens of thousands of guests, from Democrats Hillary Clinton and John Kerry to Republican Presidents George W. Bush. And Donald Trump over his 40-year career in broadcasting. This column reviews the main story that will drive his program Radio/TV Today.