Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, has spoken with Donald Trump twice in the past three days, asking him to bolster his support ahead of the elections. According to sources close to the negotiations, these requests reflect Netanyahu's desperation in the face of electoral competition that has put him in a weak position.
Netanyahu's Electoral Concerns
While Netanyahu seeks Trump's support, he has even provided texts for additional supportive statements to the former U.S. President. In this regard, Netanyahu suggested that Trump reach out to Israeli journalists and has asked him to express more support for him. These requests come as polls indicate that Netanyahu's coalition is lagging behind its rivals.
Read more: Washington is working to preserve Netanyahu and review the unity cabinet
Trump's Support and Its Consequences
Two weeks ago, Donald Trump stated in an interview that some people in Israel have asked him to take action to support Netanyahu. On Sunday evening, Trump issued another statement in support of Netanyahu, urging Israelis to vote for him. In this statement, he referred to his close relationship with Netanyahu and asked Israelis to vote for him to ensure the Prime Minister's firm stance against Iran continues.
Trump has also explicitly stated that Netanyahu's defeat could have consequences for U.S.-Israel relations. Meanwhile, polls indicate that Netanyahu's coalition will secure only 50 seats out of 120 in the Israeli parliament, which means a reduction of 17 seats compared to his current coalition.
This situation is seen as a "win-win" for both Netanyahu and Trump. If Netanyahu wins, Trump can claim he politically saved him. Otherwise, if the opponents manage to form a government, the new leaders will still be inclined to establish good relations with Trump. This development occurs as some of Trump's advisors believe that a new Israeli government led by someone other than Netanyahu could provide new opportunities to advance Trump's agenda in the Middle East.
Read more: Antonio Guterres: We must prevent widespread attacks against Iran · Former Mossad chief questioned Netanyahu's approach to Iran
