Israeli president vows he will not bow to Trump in Netanyahu’s election fate

Israel's president, Isaac Herzog, says he will make his coming choice of who gets the first opportunity to form a government free of outside pressure, including from President Donald Trump, who recently backed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Although the presidency is largely symbolic, that decision could settle Netanyahu's political future. Herzog told MS NOW that he respects Trump but that the facts, Israeli democracy and Israel's constitution will guide him.

Final polling points to a split result between Netanyahu's Likud and Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar, leaving both short of the 61 seats needed in the 120-seat Knesset. Eisenkot has rejected partnering with either Arab or ultra-Orthodox parties, complicating his path. Herzog called the situation delicate and wide open, said he would try to prevent repeated elections, and floated a unity government of Netanyahu and Eisenkot without extremist parties, though he doubted it was feasible.

On the West Bank, Herzog attributed rising violence to a small group of violent individuals rather than settlers generally, and condemned Friday's Hebron attack that killed two Israeli soldiers. Trump urged him last November to pardon Netanyahu, indicted in 2019; Herzog's office said a formal request was required.

Summarized by PolitiKool from MS NOW’s reporting. Read the full story at MS NOW →