DOMINANT ANGLE
Ottawa is weighing the impact of late support from Washington in a tight race, where Donald Trump's gesture is as important as its actual effect on Israeli voters.
Dominant angle identified — does not reflect unanimity of this country’s media
KEY POINTS
- 01
On Sunday, Donald Trump published a message of "complete and total" support for Benyamin Netanyahou, nine days before the Israeli elections on October 27 (National Post).
- 02
The Likud added to Benyamin Netanyahou's statement of thanks a 35-second video of excerpts of the two leaders together (Globe and Mail).
- 03
Gadi Eisenkot, the main rival, stated on Channel 12 that the election is an internal matter and that only Israeli citizens will decide (National Post).
ANALYSIS
Ottawa, October 19, 2026. The Globe and Mail and the National Post are treating Donald Trump's support for Benyamin Netanyahu as a campaign event. On Sunday, the American president posted a message on social media calling the Prime Minister a "Great Warrior Prime Minister" and a partner for peace in the face of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The vote on October 27, the first since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, is in nine days.
The Globe and Mail describes a coveted boost, but one that was held back for months as the strategies of the two leaders in the Middle East diverged. The newspaper recalls that Mr. Netanyahu had made his close ties with the Republican president a selling point. The leader of the Likud thanked Mr. Trump in Hebrew on X ("Together, we will complete the mission") and his party attached a 35-second video showing the two men together.
The daily also notes the conditional nature of the message. Mr. Trump threatens to "finish the job soon" against Iran, while suggesting that he may not want to if Mr. Netanyahu loses: a "bad leader" would be "anyone other than Bibi". The Globe specifies that the real effect of the support is unknown: Mr. Trump remains popular in Israel, but many Israelis, including prominent commentators, are disappointed with the inconclusive outcome of the war against Iran and the American proposal for a ceasefire.
The National Post emphasizes the about-face. It speaks of a "late intervention" after months of public hesitation and renewed tensions, and cites Mr. Trump's letter, which sees it as his "Complete and Total Endorsement". The newspaper notes that Mr. Trump is less popular in Israel than at the beginning of the war, in February, and that Mr. Netanyahu is engaged in a tight race.
The main rival, Gadi Eisenkot, thanked Mr. Trump for his support for Israel, but stated on Channel 12 that the election is an internal matter: only Israeli citizens will choose. The National Post finally puts the gesture into a broader practice: it was rare for American presidents to comment on foreign elections, but Mr. Trump is seeking to leave his mark on those of his favorites around the world.
