Full coverage· Politics· Updated 18 Oct, 22:30

Behind Trump's Netanyahu Endorsement: Opposition Efforts and Internal US Debate

U.S. President Donald Trump publicly declared his full and complete endorsement of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, nine days before Israel's October 27 legislative elections. In a statement posted on his Truth Social platform and addressed to the citizens of Israel, Trump praised Netanyahu as a great warrior and a vital partner in confronting Iran. He warned that if Israel were to elect any leader other than Netanyahu, the U.S. would have to handle the Iranian threat alone, a task he indicated he was not inclined to undertake.

17 newsrooms · 4 languages · since 18 Oct, 00:00

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What happened

01U.S. President Donald Trump publicly endorsed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, nine days before the October 27 elections.
02Trump called Netanyahu a great warrior and warned that electing anyone else would force the U.S. to handle Iran alone.
03Netanyahu thanked Trump for his support, while rival Gadi Eisenkot asserted that only Israeli citizens will decide the election.
04Opposition leaders, including Yair Lapid, confirmed they had actively engaged with Trump's circle to prevent the public endorsement.
05A source in the change bloc told Kan News that Trump's endorsement was compensation for Netanyahu's refusal to attack Iran.
06U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee recently met with Gadi Eisenkot, which reportedly prompted Netanyahu's camp to push for Trump's backing.

Trump lauded Netanyahu's resilience under immense political pressure, stating that while ordinary people would have collapsed, Netanyahu grew stronger. Netanyahu thanked Trump for his tremendous support and joint work, releasing a video statement emphasizing their uncompleted mission. Conversely, Gadi Eisenkot, Chairman of the National Unity party and a leading candidate to replace Netanyahu, asserted that only Israeli citizens will determine their prime minister.

The public endorsement followed intense behind-the-scenes maneuvering. Opposition leaders, including Yair Lapid, confirmed they had actively worked to prevent Trump from endorsing Netanyahu. According to Kan News, a source in the change bloc suggested the endorsement served as compensation for Netanyahu's refusal to attack Iran. The announcement also followed recent meetings between U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee and opposition figures, which reportedly prompted Netanyahu's camp to intensify their efforts for Trump's public backing.

Summarized by baba from the reports of 14 newsrooms. Updated 18 Oct, 23:12