Benjamin Netanyahu will seek another term as Israel’s prime minister, his Likud party said on Wednesday, confirming his intention to run in elections that must be held by October, although no vote has yet been formally called.
The party issued only a brief statement, saying Netanyahu would be a candidate and would win “with God’s help”. The announcement came after US President Donald Trump appeared to cast some doubt on whether the Israeli leader would stand again, telling ABC’s Jonathan Karl that he did not know, while adding that Netanyahu had “an amazing career” and wanted to continue.
The election will be Israel’s first since the Hamas-led attack of 7 October 2023, the deadliest security failure in the country’s history. Israel’s response in Gaza reshaped Netanyahu’s latest term, which had already been marked by months of mass protests over his government’s judicial overhaul plans. Since then, his leadership has been tested by war in Gaza, hostilities with Hezbollah in Lebanon and direct confrontation with Iran.
Netanyahu returned to power at the head of the most right-wing coalition in Israel’s history, but polls suggest that same coalition may struggle to win a majority in the next Knesset. A survey published on Tuesday by the Jerusalem-based Israel Democracy Institute found that 61% of Israelis believe he should not run again.
The opposition, however, does not have a straightforward path either. Polls have also suggested that anti-Netanyahu parties may fall short of a majority unless they rely on Arab parties, an option already rejected by some opposition leaders.
Source: CNA
