Opposition Leaders Stunned by Trump's Endorsement of Netanyahu

By מתי טוכפלד

Translated & summarized from Now 14 by baba

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Hebrew · 10 newsrooms covering

U.S. President Donald Trump's strong endorsement of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly shocked Israel's opposition parties, who believed Trump would remain neutral in the upcoming elections. Major opposition leaders, including Gadi Eisenkot, Naftali Bennett, and Avigdor Lieberman, were caught unprepared by the announcement. While official responses are pending, insiders admit to misjudging Trump's stance. Associates of Gadi Eisenkot suggested Trump's statement might be a warning rather than a simple endorsement.

The story in 5 lines · by baba

Opposition parties were shocked by U.S. President Donald Trump's endorsement of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Key opposition leaders Gadi Eisenkot, Naftali Bennett, and Avigdor Lieberman were unprepared for Trump's statement.
Opposition insiders admitted to miscalculating Trump's intention to intervene in the elections.
Trump's statement hinted that the U.S. would not act against Iran without Netanyahu.
Associates of Gadi Eisenkot suggested Trump's statement was a warning, not just an endorsement.

Opposition Leaders Stunned by Trump's Endorsement of Netanyahu — Editorial illustration generated by baba News, not a photograph of the event.

Opposition parties in Israel were reportedly caught off guard and in shock following a clear endorsement of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by U.S. President Donald Trump. The statement, which also hinted that the U.S. would not act against Iran without Netanyahu, left major opposition factions like Gadi Eisenkot's "Yesh," Naftali Bennett's "Achva," and Avigdor Lieberman's "Yisrael Beiteinu" unprepared.

Sources within the opposition, speaking anonymously, admitted to having "fallen into a trap" by miscalculating that Trump would remain neutral in the upcoming Knesset elections. They had based this assumption on recent reports suggesting a cooling of relations between Trump and Netanyahu. The unexpected declaration of support has created a significant stir.

As of the report's publication, no official response had been issued by the main opposition parties. Senior figures acknowledged being taken by surprise, with one stating, "We were sure Trump would not intervene. All our assessments were that he would stay out of the elections. We were greatly mistaken."

While the primary opposition leaders remained silent, close associates of Gadi Eisenkot offered a nuanced perspective. They suggested Trump's statement was not necessarily an endorsement but a warning, asserting that Trump would cooperate with any democratically elected Israeli leader on matters of Israeli security, including the Iranian issue, and that Eisenkot, as a former IDF Chief of Staff, had a history of confronting Israel's enemies.