Trump urges Israelis to reelect Netanyahu
About a day before Israel’s elections, President Trump renewed his endorsement of Prime Minister Netanyahu and urged Israelis to vote for him.
“To the people of Israel, to those who haven’t seen it, I am attaching the endorsement I gave one week ago to your PM Netanyahu. There can no longer be the chant heard around the world of ‘Death to America, Death to Israel’, and there won’t be. Vote for Netanyahu for PM, we have to finish the job that we started!”
In the accompanying endorsement, Trump described his relationship with Netanyahu as a successful partnership recognized even by their enemies. He cited the U.S. attack on Venezuela, which he characterized as one of history’s most successful military operations, and said Operation Midnight Hammer had stopped the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
Trump also claimed that Operation Epic Fury had left Iran without a navy or air force, with its military and economy in shambles and inflation at 301%. He said a naval blockade had prevented Iran from obtaining oil and that two levels of military and other leadership were gone.
He called Netanyahu an outstanding wartime prime minister and recalled hostile descriptions of Israel and the United States as the Little Satan and Big Satan.
Responding to the endorsement, Gadi Eisenkot said:
“Trump is a true friend of Israel. I appreciate his efforts and commitment to Israel’s security, and I am convinced that he will work in full cooperation with any leader elected by the people.”
His response was also reported in this wording:
“Donald Trump is a true friend of Israel. I appreciate his efforts and commitment to Israel’s security, and I am confident that he will work in full cooperation with any leader chosen by the people”.
Eisenkot’s campaign draws criticism from Golan
Eisenkot is campaigning to make his party the largest, drawing objections from political partners.
Golan responded:
“The ‘big party’ campaign is a mistake. It’s a dangerous lie designed to weaken us. I urge people not to fall for the ‘big party’ narrative.”
Yashar! files complaint over allegedly forged message
Yashar! filed a police complaint alleging forgery after a text message purportedly sent on its behalf urged Galilee residents not to vote for Bennett.
An image of the message was subsequently withdrawn pending clarification of the party’s claims, with further updates promised.
Lapid addressed the message presented as being “on behalf of Eisenkot”:
“Whoever wrote this message wanted your votes but didn’t understand how the system works. Or they did understand, in which case that’s really not okay. Don’t forward that message. Forward this one instead.”
Noam rabbi explains decision to remain in race
Rabbi Yosef Kellner, a prominent rabbi associated with Noam, explained why the party is remaining in the election despite the risk of wasting votes within its political bloc:
“This is an aggressive political maneuver intended to send a message: Beware of us. We’re serious, and from now on, you won’t take us lightly.”
His description of the campaign as a maneuver to establish political leverage contrasts with Noam’s telephone campaigners making hundreds of thousands of calls claiming the party is polling above the electoral threshold.
Parties hold final rallies and prepare observers
At his party’s conference, Winter said:
“We’re seeing data from surveys showing that hundreds of thousands of people want to vote for us. Don’t be afraid.”
Leitner announced that he would deploy 500 observers at polling stations in ultra-Orthodox communities.
Thousands attended a United Torah Judaism rally in Bnei Brak on Sunday night.
