US President Donald Trump has floated the idea of a defence treaty with Israel just days ahead of elections, with PM Benjamin Netanyahu fighting a tight race.
US President Donald Trump says he has spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about a possible mutual defence treaty between the two nations, a move that could bolster Netanyahu’s re-election bid just days before Israelis go to the polls.
“I had a call today with Prime Minister Netanyahu to discuss the possibility of moving forward with a Mutual Defence Treaty, between the United States and Israel, that would further anchor the tremendous alliance between our two countries,” Trump said on Twitter on Saturday.
He added that he looked forward to continuing those discussions later this month on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly session in New York.
Netanyahu thanked Trump, saying in a tweet that Israel “has never had a greater friend in the White House.”
The timing of Trump’s tweet, just days before Israel’s election on Tuesday, appeared aimed at buttressing Netanyahu’s bid to remain in power by showcasing his close ties to Trump.
Opinion polls predict a close race, five months after an inconclusive election in which Netanyahu declared himself the winner but failed to put together a coalition government.
Netanyahu’s Likud party is running neck-and-neck with the centrist Blue and White party led by former armed forces chief Benny Gantz, who has focused heavily on looming corruption charges Netanyahu faces.
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