The American election takes place on Tuesday, November 5. Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris are competing to succeed Joe Biden. Whether they like it or not, candidates for American elections are no exception. The conflicts in the Middle East are at the center of the American electoral campaign and in Israel, the American election is also a major subject.
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From our correspondent in Jerusalem,
The current American administration is undoubtedly the most favorable for Israel throughout the history of the Hebrew State. This even if Israeli leaders are not ready to proclaim it loud and clear. The outgoing American president Joe Biden has supported Israel in recent months, even if at times he could not help but let out very harsh words towards the Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu. But Joe Biden has always declared himself pro-Israel.
Clearly, Democratic candidate and outgoing vice-president Kamala Harris is trying to break away from this label. She sometimes deliberately multiplies, sometimes in the form of a slip of the tongue, less favorable statements. Recently, she agreed when a protester spoke of genocide in Gaza. Then she tried to backtrack.
The ultraconservative Donald Trump boasts of speaking almost every day with Benyamin Netanyahu and has affirmed that he has very good relations with the Israeli Prime Minister. But in Israel, we remember that not so long ago, he claimed that “Bibi” had let him down and that his Defense Minister was “ an asshole “.
Caution from Benyamin Netanyahu
There is a lot of caution within the political community in Israel in the face of these American elections. We can summarize things as follows: Benyamin Netanyahu walks on eggshells when it comes to United States electionsbut the choice of his preferred candidate is clear. This is not the case for part of his coalition which is openly in favor of Donald Trump: this is particularly the case for the far-right ministers, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.
But all specialists in Israel agree on one point. From the day after the American elections until the inauguration of the new president, whatever the results, Joe Biden will be the “ duck blade » (“ lame duck “), according to the established expression.
The confrontation between Joe Biden and Benyamin Netanyahu over the war in Gaza, Lebanon, and elsewhere in the Middle East risks reaching its climax.
Israelis prefer Trump, poll reveals
According to a poll recently published by Israeli television station Channel 12, in a hypothetical scenario where Israelis could vote in the US elections, Donald Trump would enjoy overwhelming support. 58% of respondents said they would vote for the Republican candidate, compared to only 25% for the American vice-president and Democratic candidate, Kamala Harris. 17% of Israelis have no opinion.
Also listenIn Gaza, the population expects nothing from the presidential election in the United States [1/5]