Amid a wave of euphoria following the successful Gaza ceasefire and the return of the last hostages, Israel greeted US President Donald Trump with an extraordinary form of admiration -- a comparison to the ancient Persian ruler, Cyrus the Great. Billboards and signs across Jerusalem and Tel Aviv proclaimed: “Cyrus the Great is alive!”, in a symbolic tribute to the visiting US President.

But why is Trump being likened to the ancient Persian king?

In 539 BC, King Cyrus of Persia, after a decisive military victory, issued a decree allowing the Jewish people exiled in Babylon to return to their homeland in Jerusalem. This momentous act paved the way for the Return to Zion and the rebuilding of the Second Temple, which was a defining chapter in Jewish history. Though not Jewish himself, Cyrus

See Full Page