France

Paris, October 19, 2026. On Sunday, October 18, Donald Trump gave his "full and complete support" to Benyamin Netanyahu, a candidate for re-election in the October 27 legislative elections. On Truth Social, he wrote: "This is the kind of partner the United States demands from Israel, a country for which they have done so much." France 24 notes that the Prime Minister, soon to be 77 years old and with over 18 years in power, is engaged in a tight race according to the polls.

The French press emphasizes the late nature of the support. RFI talks about support "at the last minute," a week before the vote, and describes an election that "risks being reduced to a referendum, for or against" the head of government. His team thanked the American president for his "immense support" and his party released a 35-second video bringing together images of the two men, according to France 24 in English, which recalls that Washington had refused to commit for months.

The real effect on the electorate remains uncertain. France 24 observes that many Israelis, including prominent commentators, are disappointed with the outcome of the war against Iran. RFI, on the other hand, highlights the recognition of many of them towards Trump, who negotiated the agreement that allowed the release of Hamas hostages. BFMTV presents this support as an asset for a Prime Minister who highlights his privileged relationship with Washington as a guarantee of security.

On the side of the opposition, Gadi Eisenkot, the main rival and former chief of staff, responded that he "admired the American president" but that only Israelis could choose their leader. Le Monde recalls, on its part, a campaign saturated with AI-generated videos, the Electoral Commission having ordered Eisenkot to withdraw a deepfake targeting Netanyahu.

The Iranian dimension is treated in touches. Netanyahu has stated that the partnership would continue to "eliminate the Iranian threat within the next two years, or even sooner," according to BFMTV, which also cites the response of Iranian Minister Abbas Araghchi on X. RFI adds that this support "stands out" amidst a chorus of condemnations, after a weekend of violence by settlers in the West Bank targeting Palestinians, an American journalist, and European diplomats, and while Netanyahu is being prosecuted by the International Criminal Court.