WHILE the world praises Donald Trump for brokering the Gaza peace deal, question looms if the US president will become the Next Nobel Peace Prize winner.
In less than 24 hours, the world will know the name of the next Nobel laureate – but all eyes are on peacemaker Trump, who has long been campaigning for the coveted award.
AFPUS President Donald Trump speaks during a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu[/caption]
APA Nobel medal is seen at the Swedish ambassador’s residence in London[/caption]
Trump, who is in his second term as America’s president, has long wished for a Nobel Peace Prize.
He claims to have stopped seven conflicts in the world since his time in the office – and has made no secret of the fact that he believes he is worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize.
The self-proclaimed peaecemaker – and his administration – have on various occasions said that he deserves the prize.
He has repeatedly asserted since his return to the White House in January that he deserves the nod, adding it would be “a big insult” to the United States if he were not given the prize.
In February this year, during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, he said: “They will never give me a Nobel Peace Prize. I deserve it, but they will never give it to me.”
Even during his speech at the 80th UN General Assembly in New York, Trump said that “everyone” says he should get it.
He said: “Everyone says that I should get the Nobel Peace Prize for each one of these achievements, but for me, the real prize will be the sons and daughters who live to grow up with their mothers and fathers, because millions of people are no longer being killed in endless and unglorious wars.
“What I care about is not winning prizes as much as saving lives.”
Several world leaders, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have backed nominating Trump for the peace prize.
Bibi’s office even posted an AI-generated picture of him awarding Trump the Nobel Prize
Last week, he teased the possibility of ending an eighth war if Israel and Hamas agree to his peace plan aimed at concluding the nearly two-year war in Gaza.
And just hours before the results for the Nobel Peace Prize are set to come out, Trump announced the peace agreement between the two warring factions.
It is indeed a massive breakthrough that is set to reshape the face of the Middle East – and the world is praising the US leaders’ effort to broker the deal.
However, the Norwegian Nobel Committee, which awards the prestigious peace prize, held its final meeting on Monday, the Nobel Institute said.
This means a decision was made about the laureate or laureates before the conclusion of an agreement between Israel and Hamas, which included a ceasefire and the release of hostages.
AP
Relatives and supporters of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip celebrate after the announcement[/caption]
ReutersPeople celebrate, after U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Hamas agreed on the first phase of a Gaza ceasefire[/caption]
How is the Nobel Peace Prize winner decided?
By Patrick Harrington, Foreign News reporter
THE winner of the Nobel Peace Prize is chosen through a highly secretive deliberation process.
Every year since 1901, the Norwegian Nobel Committee has met to discuss who is worthy of taking home prize.
Nominations close in January, and the Committee comes together throughout the next eight months to confer.
Its five members meet along with a secretary in the Committee Room of Oslo’s Nobel institute.
They read aloud the criteria set out by Alfred Nobel in his will.
It says the prize should be awarded to the person who has done the most for fraternity between nations, the abolition or reduction of standing armies, or for holding or promoting peace congresses.
Then, they enter intense discussions in order to thrash out the decision.
Committee chairman Jorgen Watne Frydnes told the BBC: “We discuss, we argue, there is a high temperature.
“But also, of course, we are civilised, and we try to make a consensus-based decision every year.”
If there is no consensus over who should win, then it goes comes down to a simple majority vote.
Historian Asle Sveen, a specialist in the Nobel Prize, said that the agreement between Israel and Hamas “has absolutely no impact” on the choice of the 2025 laureate because “the Nobel Committee has already made its decision”.
“Trump will not win the prize this year. I’m 100 per cent certain,” he said.
He emphasised that the US president had long “given free rein” to Netanyahu to bomb Gaza and had provided significant military aid to Israel.
Experts say the Norwegian Nobel Committee typically focuses on the durability of peace, the promotion of international fraternity and the quiet work of institutions that strengthen those goals.
Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer today refused to back a Nobel Peace Prize for Donald Trump.
The PM acknowledged that a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas “would not have happened without” the US President.
Benjamin Netanyahu’s office posted an AI-generated picture of Bibi awarding Trump the Nobel Prize
But when asked if Mr Trump deserved the global honour for his diplomatic breakthrough, Sir Keir said he was focused “on ensuring that we move onto the next stage and make a success of this”.
Speaking on the final day of his trip to India, the PM said: “What matters now is to press on and implement this.
“All parties need to implement, agree and take forward the commitments they’ve made to the next stage. That is hugely important.
“My focus now is moving this from the stage it’s at now, which is really welcome — strongly welcome — to ensuring that we now move on to the next stage and make a success of this.”
Comprised of five members, the Nobel Committee typically makes its decision several days or even weeks before and meets one last time in the run-up to the official announcement.
This year, 338 individuals and organisations were nominated for the Peace Prize.
In 2025 was given to Nihon Hidankyo, a group of survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings campaigning against nuclear weapons.
APPeople celebrate following the announcement that Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a peace plan[/caption]