An official invitation letter exists — but a firm date for the visit does not yet: U.S. President Donald Trump said the hostages will be released on Monday or Tuesday and said he agreed to speak in the Knesset, but the timing of his arrival in the country is not yet fully settled. Speaking alongside Finland’s president Alexander Stubb, Trump said he would probably depart the United States on Sunday, and for now preparations are being made for him to arrive in Israel on Monday — landing at around 9:00 a.m.
Trump is expected to travel directly to the Knesset, where he will give an unusually timed speech on the eve of the holiday. Given the very tight schedule because of the holiday, it is likely that the reception at Ben-Gurion Airport will not include the entire A-list, and a smaller guest list will be decided. The president will not sleep in Israel and will leave immediately.
Trump: 'I agreed to speak in the Knesset, I will do so if they want'
Thursday night Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana sent an official letter to Trump inviting him to address the Knesset. “Today is a historic day,” Ohana wrote. “Your leadership, courage, persistence and vision have led not only to a deal securing the release of all Israeli hostages abducted by Hamas on October 7, but also to an unprecedented regional agreement accepted by nearly every nation in the Middle East.”
"The people of Israel regard you as the greatest friend and ally of the Jewish nation in modern history,” the Knesset speaker added. “It is therefore my profound honor and privilege to officially invite you to deliver a formal address to the nation before the Knesset plenum. Your speech would be the first by a sitting U.S. president since President George W. Bush’s visit in 2008 — a deeply meaningful gesture of our eternal gratitude for your leadership andfor the unbreakable alliance between the State of Israel and the United States of America. Israel awaits The Peace President.”
According to the original plan, Trump was supposed to address the Knesset on Sunday and likely also visit the Western Wall — but with the changes, nothing is finalized. In any case, Route 1 between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv will be closed several hours before Trump’s arrival, and heavy congestion is expected.
Even inside the Knesset the timeframe is unclear. Knesset staff were called in during the recess to prepare for the presidential visit and are making arrangements for several scenarios — ranging from a full protocol that would include an official reception, signing the Knesset guest book, formal meetings and speeches, to a rapid visit whose contents are not yet decided.