U.S. President Donald Trump will not come to Israel on Independence Day and will not take part in the Israel Prize ceremony — not even via a video address, officials told ynet on Tuesday.
Israeli officials have decided the prize will be awarded to Trump at a later date, when he visits the country. As a result, singer Noa Kirel’s participation in the event has been postponed. She had been scheduled to perform in honor of the U.S. president, and there were also plans under consideration for Trump’s granddaughters to appear alongside her.
The White House has not officially announced that Trump will not travel to Israel. However, officials in Jerusalem now assess that, given the timeline of the ceasefire with Iran and its scheduled end on April 21, the likelihood of his arrival is close to zero, as the ceremony is set for April 22.
During the Israel Prize ceremony, Trump’s selection will be mentioned in a video. The formal awarding of the prize, however, will be postponed to a separate ceremony to be held in his honor during a future visit.
The ceremony is set to be recorded on Sunday in case fighting resumes, making it impossible to hold the event with a live audience or broadcast it in real time. President Isaac Herzog and Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana are expected to attend the recording. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is also not expected to take part in the ceremony, as was the case last year. Education Minister Yoav Kisch is slated to be the only speaker at the event.
Israeli officials cited several reasons for Trump’s decision not to visit, including concern over potential criticism within the United States about the trip and its timing — the final day of the two-week ceasefire — which could pose a security risk. The ceremony, as noted, is scheduled for April 22.
Argentine President Javier Milei is still expected to arrive in Israel on Independence Day. Transportation Minister Miri Regev selected him to light a ceremonial torch, a traditional honor during the annual state ceremony marking the holiday. The agreement on his visit was reached before the ceasefire with Iran. Milei is expected to land in Israel on April 18, during the Jewish Sabbath. He is visiting to inaugurate Argentina’s embassy in Jerusalem, a highlight of the country’s 78th Independence Day events.
When Trump was informed he had been awarded the Israel Prize for peace — an honor never before given to a foreign leader — he thanked Kisch and said he would consider coming to accept it. “We decided to break with convention and award the Israel Prize to Trump for his contribution to Israel and the Jewish people,” Netanyahu said at the time. “We have never awarded it to a non-Israeli. It is so fitting, especially on Independence Day. It reflects Israelis’ appreciation for him and expresses gratitude and recognition.”