Jerusalem:Â An official in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office says the Israeli leader will not be attending this year’s United Nations General Assembly in New York, an event he ordinarily uses to advance Israeli interests on the world stage.
The trip’s cancellation comes after Israel’s national elections, in which Netanyahu failed to secure an outright victory in the polls, paving the way for arduous coalition talks.
The official said on Wednesday that the planned visit to the US next week, where he was also to meet with President Donald Trump, would not take place. There was no word whether the meeting would be rescheduled. The official spoke on condition of anonymity pending a formal announcement.
Trump told reporters on Wednesday that he has not spoken with Netanyahu about an election he described as close, adding “we’ll see what happens.”
Netanyahu highlighted close ties with Trump while campaigning.
Israel’s two main political parties are deadlocked after inconclusive national elections, with Netanyahu facing an uphill battle to keep his job.
Seeming kingmaker Avigdor Lieberman said on Wednesday that he would insist upon a secular unity government between Netanyahu’s Likud and Benny Gantz’s Blue and White parties, who are currently tied.
Read the article in the Brisbane Times.
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