Trump expects 'close' Israeli election
US President Donald Trump on Monday predicted a close Israeli election as his ally Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seeks to retain power in a neck-and-neck race. "Big election tomorrow in Israel," Trump told reporters at the White House. "It's going to be close... it's a 50/50 election." Israel is holding its second election in five months on Tuesday, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu battling for his political survival. Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving prime minister, suffered one of the biggest defeats of his career after April elections, when he failed to form a coalition despite his right-wing Likud and its allies winning a majority of seats. Rather than risk having Israeli President Reuven Rivlin choose someone else to form a government, Netanyahu, who could be indicted on corruption charges in the coming weeks, opted for a second election instead. Final opinion polls released Friday indicated another tight race between Likud and the centrist Blue and White alliance led by ex-military chief Benny Gantz, and a repeat stalemate cannot be ruled out. The poll is expected to once again amount largely to a referendum on Netanyahu. US President Donald Trump, featured on a Likud party election billboard, said Israel's vote will be extremely close
