US President Donald Trump, right, poses for a photo with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
The vote will be the country’s first national election since the 2023 Hamas attack. Ahead of the October 27 polls, Trump praised Netanyahu’s leadership and partnership with Washington, particularly in confronting Iran, as the Israeli leader seeks to retain power after years of regional conflict.
In a lengthy post on Truth Social addressed to the people of Israel, Trump described Netanyahu as a “Great Warrior Prime Minister” and “an even greater Partner for Peace in combatting the Islamic Republic of Iran”. “Bibi Netanyahu has been Strong, Brave, and Brilliant in the face of tremendous opposition, including that coming from even Israel, itself,” Trump wrote. Making his support explicit, Trump wrote, “Please let this Letter serve to represent my Complete and Total Endorsement of Bibi Netanyahu in his upcoming Race for Re-Election as Prime Minister of Israel.”
US President Donald Trump on Sunday endorsed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for re-election, backing his long-time ally nine days before Israel’s parliamentary election.
Israelis will vote on October 27 to elect the 120-member Knesset. The party system means that the leader who can assemble a coalition with sufficient parliamentary support is positioned to become prime minister; a majority generally requires 61 seats, according to the Times of Israel.
Netanyahu, who leads the Likud party, faces a challenge from opposition parties, with former military chief Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party among the key contenders, according to recent polling. The election is the first since the Hamas attack and the subsequent war in Gaza, which expanded into wider regional conflict involving Lebanon and Iran.