Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party confirmed on Wednesday that the Jewish state’s longest-serving leader would run in the upcoming election.
The statement came after U.S. President Donald Trump wondered in an interview with ABC News on Tuesday, “If Bibi even wants to continue ... .”
“I don’t know, he’s had an amazing career. Does he want to continue? Because you know, he’s a wartime prime minister,” Trump told correspondent Jonathan Karl.
“We will very shortly win the war one way or the other, and you know he’s a wartime prime minister,” Trump said. “That’s okay, just like I’m a wartime president.”
The Likud Party said in its response, “Prime Minister Netanyahu will run in the upcoming elections,” adding, “With God’s help, he will win.”
Israeli lawmakers on June 2 voted 106-0 in a first reading to advance a coalition bill to dissolve parliament and pave the way for early elections.
Due to disagreements within the coalition, Likud’s Ofir Katz advanced the bill without specifying an election date, saying the date would be added before its final two readings. The bill currently stipulates that elections will be held between Sept. 8 and Oct. 20. In any case, national elections must be held by Oct. 27.
Likud recently held internal elections for its Central Committee and municipal branches, with members reaffirming support for Netanyahu’s leadership as he ran unchallenged.
