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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) and U.S. President Donald Trump shake hands at a joint press conference held at President Trump's residence in Palm Beach, Florida, in the U.S. on December 29 of last year (local time). / AFP, Yonhap

Ahead of the general election on the 27th of this month (local time), Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed confidence in an election victory, releasing details of a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump, who publicly endorsed him.

News outlets including AFP and The Times of Israel (TOI) reported that Prime Minister Netanyahu released a video on his social media on the 19th showing a phone call in which he and President Trump heaped praise on each other.

Sitting in front of a fighter jet at an air base, Prime Minister Netanyahu said over the phone, "Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your incredible support," addressing Trump as "a great leader of the U.S. and the free world, and the greatest friend Israel has had in the White House, and always will be."

Speaking over speakerphone, President Trump replied that he had written the endorsement statement himself without anyone else's help, saying, "You are a warrior. You have been treated unfairly in your country, and probably in other countries, but we are going to prove that you are a great warrior."

He also said, "I think you are going to have a tremendous victory," adding, "You are the person I want by my side."

To this, Prime Minister Netanyahu signaled his resolve to carry on the war against Iran alongside the U.S., remarking, "We have work to finish. We will finish it together, and nobody else will do that."

Although he did not elaborate further, he defined the Iranian regime, the target of airstrikes that began in late February, as "the greatest threat."

In a statement released on his social media the previous day, President Trump stated, "If Israel ends up with the wrong leader—meaning anyone other than Netanyahu—the U.S. would have to do the job itself, and I have no desire to do that," adding, "Through this statement, I express my complete endorsement of Netanyahu in the upcoming Israeli prime ministerial election."

Despite this endorsement declaration, it was found that little change was observed in Prime Minister Netanyahu's approval ratings.

In a poll on suitability for the next prime minister conducted by Israeli broadcaster Channel 12 on the 19th, former Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces Gadi Eisenkot, considered a leading prime ministerial candidate for the opposition, maintained his lead at 45%.

Prime Minister Netanyahu recorded 33%, with the gap widening by an additional 2 percentage points compared to last week's poll.

                                                                                                            Kim Hyun-min