US President Donald Trump said it was "an open question" whether 76-year-old Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to continue his political career, while a new survey shows that a majority of Israelis do not want him to run in the next parliamentary elections, writes "Times of Israel".
Netanyahu, who is Israel's longest-serving leader and has been at the helm of the country almost continuously since 2009, has given no indication that he intends to step down. He is expected to run in the Knesset elections, which are due by October 27, although an official date has not yet been set.
Critics accuse him of strategic failures before the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, as well as divisive politics, corruption and the undermining of democratic institutions.
At the same time, his supporters defend his handling of the war and his international relations, including with Trump. Netanyahu was unopposed for the Likud leadership in the party's internal elections in November and retains strong control of the party.
According to most opinion polls, the right-wing bloc that supports him is unlikely to secure a parliamentary majority, although analysts note that Israeli polls are often inaccurate and the political picture can change.
In an interview with ABC News, Trump commented: "I don't know, he's had an incredible career. Does he want to continue? Because, you know, he's a wartime prime minister. We're going to win the war very soon, one way or another, and you know he's a wartime prime minister." The American president added that he is also a "wartime president."
A survey by the Israel Democracy Institute shows that 61% of Israelis and 57% of Jewish Israelis do not believe that Netanyahu should run again, while 35% and 39.5%, respectively, support a new candidacy. Among right-wing voters, 69% are "in favor," but a majority of centrist, leftist and Arab communities are against it.
However, 36% of Jewish Israelis believe that the pro-Netanyahu bloc has the best chance of forming the next government, compared to 26% for his opponents. The poll also shows that 61% support introducing a two-term limit for future prime ministers and that most Israelis no longer see the country's security as Trump's top priority.
The survey was conducted between May 31 and June 5 among 753 people, with a margin of error of 3.57%.