US President Donald Trump said on the 18th he gives Prime Minister Netanyahu his complete and total endorsement. Polls for the 27th vote are deadlocked, with neither bloc reaching the seats needed to govern.
Liberty Times, citing AFP, reported on the 19th that Israel holds a national election on the 27th. It is the first nationwide vote since Hamas's attack of October 7, 2023, and is widely seen as a confidence vote on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. About 7 million Israelis are eligible to vote.
광고 문의 · 300×250Polls show a tight race. Neither Netanyahu's bloc nor the opposition bloc led by former military chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot is projected to reach the 61 of 120 Knesset seats needed to form a government.
Trump's endorsement
In a Truth Social post on the 18th, Trump called Netanyahu irreplaceable, praised him for standing firm and brave under heavy pressure, including from within Israel, called him the kind of partner the US needs there, and gave his reelection a complete and total endorsement.
Trump warned Israelis not to elect anyone other than Netanyahu, saying that if a rival won, the US would have to finish the job itself, which he did not want to do. The report noted the remarks could give Netanyahu's campaign a significant lift.
In a Likud video, Netanyahu stressed his close ties with Trump, claiming the two had crushed Iran together, and said that if reelected he could work with Trump within two years or less to completely eliminate the Iranian threat. On X he thanked Trump for his strong support and said they would complete the mission together.
Reaction in Israel and background
Eisenkot said he admires Trump but that Israel is a democracy and only Israelis choose their leaders. He has repeatedly held Netanyahu personally responsible for October 7. Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said Trump had simply stated what Israelis already know, and that only Netanyahu is fit to be prime minister.
Netanyahu, nearly 77, is Israel's longest-serving prime minister with more than 19 years in office in total, and returned to power in December 2022. His government brought far-right figures into the cabinet and sought to curb the judiciary that is handling the corruption charges against him. In late February this year Trump and Netanyahu jointly struck Iran; Trump agreed to a ceasefire in April amid an oil price spike and domestic anti-war criticism.
The two leaders have also differed over Iran: Netanyahu has said a diplomatic deal with Iran's leadership is impossible, while Trump has pursued talks to end the months-long conflict. The report noted that Israel and Netanyahu appear increasingly isolated internationally, making Trump's backing especially important. The outcome will be known only after the votes are counted.