Netanyahu returns to the electoral battle: his party confirms his candidacy despite Trump's doubts

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will run for another term in the upcoming parliamentary elections, his Likud party announced Wednesday. This confirmation comes after statements by the US president. Donald Trumpwho had suggested that he did not know if the Israeli leader wished to continue his political career.

In a brief statement, the Likud party affirmed that Benjamin Netanyahu would participate in the election and that he intended to win. While no official date has yet been set, the elections must be held no later than October.

A few hours earlier, Jonathan Karl, ABC News' chief Washington correspondent, had reported on social media a conversation with Donald Trump. According to the journalist, the American president had expressed uncertainty about Netanyahu's intentions, stating that he didn't know if Netanyahu wanted to run again after a political career he described as "incredible."

The upcoming election is of particular importance in Israel. It will be the first national election since the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023, considered one of the most serious security failures in the country's history and the origin of the war in the Gaza Strip.

Since returning to power in December 2022 at the head of the most right-wing coalition in Israeli history, Benjamin Netanyahu has gone through a particularly turbulent period. His government had to face significant protests against its reforms, before being confronted with successive conflicts in Gaza, Lebanon, and then Iran.

Despite the criticism and controversies surrounding his term, the prime minister remains a central figure in Israeli political life. His candidacy paves the way for an election campaign that promises to be decisive for the country's political future, in a context marked by security challenges and deep divisions within Israeli society.