Trump gives Netanyahu his endorsement before the Israeli elections

Netanyahu, the longest-serving prime minister in Israel's history, is seeking a new mandate from voters after pushing the country over the past years into multiple conflicts under the slogan of "changing the Middle East," most notably the war on Iran in partnership with Washington starting in February.

Opinion polls suggest that the elections will witness a fierce competition between Netanyahu and his most prominent rival, Gadi Eisenkot, who denounced Trump's position of supporting one candidate at the expense of others in Israel.

The US President wrote on his Truth Social platform, "Let this message serve as a testament to my full and unconditional support for Bibi Netanyahu in the race for his re-election as Prime Minister of Israel."

He added, "This is the type of partnership that the United States expects from Israel, a country to which I have given so much." He continued, "Benjamin Netanyahu has been an extraordinary wartime prime minister... and an extraordinary partner in peacemaking."

The Israeli Prime Minister responded by thanking Trump for his "tremendous support" for him. He wrote on the X platform, "Thank you, Mr. President Trump, for your tremendous support and our joint work. Together, we will get the job done."

Netanyahu quoted Trump as saying, "We have accomplished extraordinary things together; we have crushed Iran, we have crushed the Iranian axis, and we have removed the direct threat" represented by the Iranian nuclear program.

Netanyahu added that "our partnership (...) will continue with the goal of eliminating the Iranian threat over the next two years, or perhaps sooner," calling on voters to "listen" to Donald Trump.

For his part, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that Netanyahu is "pushing America toward another war."

Araghchi wrote on the X platform, "The last time you wanted to 'get the job done,' Iran emerged stronger than it was. Do you want to try your luck again? Be my guest. But beware, we also have unfinished business."

Although they launched the war on Iran jointly on February 28, the relationship between Trump and Netanyahu witnessed a public cooling starting in April, with Washington concluding a ceasefire agreement with Tehran, which was solidified by a memorandum of understanding brokered by Pakistan in April.

However, this agreement collapsed later, without the two sides resuming large-scale hostilities. Despite Tehran and Washington exchanging relatively limited strikes over the past months, Israel remained at a distance from launching any attack on Iran, which also did not target it.

However, Israeli officials have repeatedly warned Iran against launching any attack on the Hebrew state, confirming that the response to it would be harsh and swift.

- "The only person capable" -

Trump's support comes to prove the close relationship between him and Netanyahu, who is now facing criticism on the international stage against the backdrop of the war in Gaza and the violence of Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, from leaders of Western countries that were traditionally close allies of his country.

Netanyahu, who turns 77 on October 21, has spent more than 19 years as prime minister in intermittent periods. He returned to this position in December 2022, through a coalition that included previously marginalized hardline nationalist forces, to form a government considered the most right-wing in Israel's history.

Commenting on Trump's position, Eisenkot said in Tel Aviv on Sunday that he "has admiration for the US President," but "Israel is a democratic country, and only Israelis can choose their leaders."

Opinion polls show that neither the Netanyahu nor the Eisenkot camps have enough seats to win the majority required to form a government, which is 61 seats in the 120-member Knesset.

For his part, far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said on Sunday that Trump "is basically saying what we all know" in Israel. He added, "There is only one person capable of holding the premiership, and that is Benjamin Netanyahu."

Meb/Kam-ALH