Trump endorses Netanyahu ahead of Israeli elections, calling him 'great warrior prime minister'
Donald Trump has endorsed Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of the Israeli elections later this month, calling him a "great warrior prime minister". <p>Posting on Truth Social, <a href="https://news.sky.com/topic/donald-trump-5711/1" target="_self"><strong>the US president</strong></a> said the Israeli prime minister has been an "even greater Partner for Peace in combatting the Islamic Republic of Iran".</p><p>He added: "If Israel has the wrong Leader, which would be anyone other than Bibi, America will have to do this work ourselves, and I am not inclined to do so.</p><p>"Bibi Netanyahu has been Strong, Brave, and Brilliant in the face of tremendous opposition."</p><widget id="6"></widget><p>The national election on 27 October will be the first since Hamas' deadly attack against <a href="https://news.sky.com/topic/israel-5981/1" target="_self"><strong>Israel</strong></a> on 7 October 2023 that led to Israel going to war in <a href="https://news.sky.com/topic/gaza-8014/1" target="_self"><strong>Gaza</strong></a>, <a href="https://news.sky.com/topic/lebanon-6383/1" target="_self"><strong>Lebanon</strong></a> and <a href="https://news.sky.com/topic/iran-5977/1" target="_self"><strong>Iran</strong></a>.</p><p>The election could determine whether <a href="https://news.sky.com/topic/benjamin-netanyahu-6264/1" target="_self"><strong>Mr Netanyahu</strong></a> remains in power after one of the most consequential periods in Israel's history, or is defeated by centrist rivals promising to bring in a new era.</p><p>Mr Netanyahu has pushed his close ties to the Republican president as a selling point for staying in power.</p><p>But a poll published last Thursday suggests opposition frontrunner Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party has opened up a significant lead over Mr Netanyahu's Likud party.</p> <widget id="5"></widget><p>However, neither camp is projected to win a majority in parliament, the survey by The Times of Israel suggested.</p><p>The poll showed 54 seats for the bloc of Jewish-led parties opposing the prime minister, including Yashar, Together, Israel Our Home and the Democrats, compared to 49 for the pro-Netanyahu bloc of Likud, the far-right and the ultra-Orthodox Jews.</p><p>Both camps would be short of a 61-seat majority in the 120-seat Knesset.</p><p>The survey also showed Yashar winning 26 seats compared to 20 for Likud. A week earlier, the gap was 24 to 20.</p><p>In third spot in the poll was former prime minister Naftali Bennett's opposition Together party with 11.</p> <widget id="3"></widget><p>Mr Trump and Mr Netanyahu have traditionally been close allies, particularly after the joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities in 2025.</p><p>But the pair have had disagreements during this year's war with Iran which was launched in late February.</p><p>Mr Trump criticised Israel's decision to attack a key Iranian gas field in the first weeks of the conflict, while he called Mr Netanyahu "crazy" in June.</p><p>The US president said he was "a little bit perturbed" as Israel's fight against Hezbollah militants in Lebanon was holding back peace talks with Iran.</p><p>In August, Mr Netanyahu rejected Mr Trump's plan to advance a stalled Gaza ceasefire, pushing back on the US administration's call for Israel to withdraw from territory it controls in Gaza until Hamas was disarmed.</p>