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Can Israel's Netanyahu run for PM again? His party clarifies after Trump casts doubt on election
US President Trump had earlier told ABC News he did not know whether Netanyahu would run for Prime Minister this time around.
The Israeli lawmakers on Tuesday voted to back a bill to dissolve Parliament and pave the way for early elections in the country. A total of 106 of the Knesset's 120 members voted to back the Bill in its first reading. The legislation, proposed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ruling coalition, must pass two more readings to become law.
However, even as the Bill proposes elections between September and October this year, there was uncertainty regarding whether Netanyahu would contest, aggravated by US President Donald Trump's remarks. Trump had earlier told ABC News he did not know whether Netanyahu would run for Prime Minister this time around.
“I don’t know, he’s had an amazing career…Does he want to continue? Because, you know he’s a wartime prime minister. We will very shortly win the war one way or the other, and you know he’s a wartime prime minister,” Trump said, ABC News correspondent Jonathan Karl posted on X.
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However, Netanyahu's Likud Party has now said he will contest in the upcoming elections. “Prime Minister Netanyahu will run in the upcoming elections — and with God’s help, he will win,” The Times of Israel cited the party as saying in a statement.
Can Netanyahu run for prime minister?
Netanyahu, who has spent more than 18 years in power since first taking office in 1996, is Israel's longest-serving prime minister.
Given that Israel has no limit on the number of terms a person can serve as Prime Minister, Netanyahu can still run for the post. While in the past, a legislation was debated on, which would impose an eight-year term limit. But it was not enacted.
Netanyahu's challenges ahead of electoral race
This would be the first general election in Israel after Israel's offensives in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran. The polls are scheduled to be held between September 8 and October 20, with Israel currently due to hold elections by October 27, when the current legislative term ends.
The Bill calling for early elections was proposed by the ruling coalition amid growing pressure from the Opposition and ultra-Orthodox parties. Netanyahu's right-wing coalition looks increasingly vulnerable to collapse, AFP reported.
Also Read | How Israel is frustrating Donald Trump’s Iran plans
The Opposition has accused Netanyahu of failing to fulfil a promise to pass legislation granting a permanent exemption from compulsory military service to young men studying in yeshivas, or religious seminaries. Netanyahu also has a long-running corruption trial against him, while he has denied any wrongdoing and has stated that he is the victim of a “witch hunt.” Many Israelis also hold him responsible for the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas, according to AFP.
However, a poll published by public broadcaster KAN has still projected Netanyahu's Likud party slightly ahead of rival Beyahad (Together), which is an alliance led by opposition leader Yair Lapid and former prime minister Naftali Bennett.
