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

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

For two years, Israel has been covered in black. Even though many hostages were released, shadows remained. This situation was further compounded by the fall of one of the hundreds of IDF soldiers killed in Gaza or Lebanon since Hamas’ October 7 invasion and Hezbollah’s October 8 offensive. When Iran or the Houthis opened fire with missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles, millions of people were forced to take shelter again. The only thing left behind on the tables and beds where the Israelites rose to find safety was joy.

Now, after the release of the last 20 living hostages and as the ceasefire tightens, rays of light rise from this tortured and tested land; Songs of joy rise from that nation once again.

Monday, October 13, will be a testament to the courage and endurance of prisoners, the fearlessness of soldiers, the determination of diplomats, the firm will of families, the help of true allies and the victory of good over evil.

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This week, leaders from across the region will gather to plan a new future for Gaza and a framework for peace, stability and prosperity. President Donald Trump led the breakthroughs and is now leading the next phase. But I hope that the people of the region (Jews, Muslims, Christians and non-believers alike) will be attached to life and a prosperous place where babies can be born and grow old “under their own vines and their own fig trees.”

The obstacles to this vision are ideological; principles espoused by religious fanatics. These extremists have been badly weakened by the conflict over the last two years. Their regimes may still crumble, but nations that share the Abraham Accord vision must act together to stop the export of terrorism.

“It should now be clear to everyone in this region that decades of fueling terrorism, extremism, jihadism and anti-Semitism have not worked and have completely and utterly backfired,” President Trump told Israel’s Knesset on Monday. he said. “From Gaza Iranian“These bitter hatreds have brought nothing but misery, pain and failure.”

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

When Trump ordered the attack on Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in January 2020 — when Iran’s 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 backed by the credible threat of force.

After nearly two years in the Biden-Harris-designed dead end after October 7 — where “escalation” was feared more than the release of hostages — Trump’s return to the White House on January 20, 2025, brought clarity and purpose.

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The gap between Israeli and US policies narrowed immediately. Trump, Netanyahu and their teams planned and carried out a stunning ruse 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 soon after.

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

Trump never hesitated. Israel has never stopped because of the hand-wringing of the Beltway or the chatter of think tanks.
When Trump persuaded Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to make tough choices (recalling the last bombers heading towards Iran and promising no more attacks on Qatar), the partners proved to the world that they would keep their word.

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The partnership between the president and the prime minister will go down in history, as will the alliance between President Reagan and Prime Minister Thatcher. It has already expanded to include Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed (“MBZ”) of the UAE, Indonesia and other Muslim-majority nations, as well as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (“MBS”) of Saudi Arabia.

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

We have tough work ahead of us. The people of the half of Gaza not yet under IDF protection remain under the bloody oppression of Hamas; terrorists who must be eradicated before permanent reconstruction can be achieved.

Few people believed that Trump would win the 2024 presidential election. The number of people who thought that he could achieve a ceasefire and release the hostages in his first year back in office was still very small. Virtually no one trusted Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, or expected his son-in-law Jared Kushner to come out of retirement to help push the deal toward the finish line.

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It all happened. It is now history; It’s not up for debate. President Trump did this. And if this truth bothers you, look inside yourself. This discomfort is not a reasoned disagreement; It is mental fatigue.

The rest of us will remember this moment with gratitude for the freed hostages, for Israel’s resilience, and for the hope that the innocents in Gaza can finally live in peace.

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Hugh Hewitt, Fox News contributor and “The Hugh Hewitt Show” weekday afternoons from 3pm to 6pm on the Salem Radio Network and simulcast on the Salem News Channel. Hugh takes Americans home to the East Coast and to lunch on the West Coast on more than 400 affiliates nationwide and all streaming platforms where SNC is available. Weekdays at 6pm ET on Fox News hosted by Bret Baier He is a frequent guest on the Channel’s news roundtable. A son of Ohio and a graduate of Harvard College and the University of Michigan Law School, Hewitt has served as Professor of Law at Chapman University Fowler School of Law since 1996, where he teaches Constitutional Law. Hewitt launched his self-titled radio show in Los Angeles in 1990. Hewitt frequently covers all major national news has appeared on television networks, hosted television shows for PBS and MSNBC, written for every major American newspaper, authored a dozen books, and moderated a number of Republican candidate debates, most recently the November 2023 Republican presidential debate in Miami and four Republican presidential debates in 2015-16. Hewitt hosts his radio show and column on the Constitution, national security, American politics and the Cleveland Browns and It focuses on the guards. Hewitt has interviewed tens of thousands of guests, from Democrats Hillary Clinton and John Kerry to Republican Presidents George W. Bush. Donald Trump has more than 40 years in broadcasting. This column previews the main story that will drive today’s radio/TV show.