Trump says Netanyahu may quit politics, but Likud asserts he will run in elections

Key Points:

• US President Donald Trump questioned whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to continue his political career, despite Netanyahu and Likud confirming he will run in the upcoming Knesset election by October 27.
• Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving leader, faces criticism for alleged strategic failures before Hamas’s October 7 attack, political divisiveness, and corruption, but also retains strong support for his wartime leadership and international relations.
• A recent Israel Democracy Institute poll showed 61% of Israelis oppose Netanyahu running again, with majorities against his candidacy across most political groups except the right-wing, where 69% support him.
• Despite opposition to Netanyahu’s candidacy, 36% of Jewish Israelis believe his bloc has the best chance of forming the next government, while 61% support imposing a two-term limit on future prime ministers after Netanyahu.
• The poll, conducted before recent Iran missile attacks and related events, included responses from 603 Jewish and 150 Arab Israelis, reflecting a margin of error of 3.57%, and indicated declining Israeli confidence in Trump’s focus on their security.