When Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump convened in the Oval Office on July 28, Trump inquired about Netanyahu’s standing in upcoming polls ahead of the October 27 Knesset election, Axios reported.
According to the outlet, Netanyahu paused before being joined by an aide who confidently stated, “Mr. President, he is winning,” despite polling data indicating the coalition bloc held just 49 seats—13 short of the 62 required for a majority at the time.
Netanyahu sought Trump’s public endorsement of his re-election bid prior to the vote, sources indicated.
However, Trump’s recent regional posture has emphasized restraint. He had previously urged Netanyahu against further operations in Lebanon and advocated for partial Syrian withdrawal, noting the leaders often diverge on policy.
Axios cited internal U.S. dialogue where Trump described Netanyahu as “his own worst enemy,” reflecting tensions in their alliance.
Likud announced Oren Dobronsky, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur co-founding the browser toolbar company Hotbar, would occupy Netanyahu’s reserved Knesset slot on the party’s list.
Following this announcement, Dobronsky faced backlash after disclosing a past social media post labeling Trump “a morally corrupt person” on X/Twitter.
Subsequently, he clarified on Facebook: “President Trump is the greatest friend Israel ever had in the Whitehouse. I sincerely apologize for a regrettable post made in frustration without full knowledge.”
Dobronsky, a seasoned figure in Israeli and American tech sectors, previously led ventures with significant exits and now focuses on start-up investments.
Idan Kweller, Moshe Cohen, Keshet Neev, and James Genn contributed to this report.
