Netanyahu and Lapid court US support as Israeli election campaign heats up

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition leader Yair Lapid are both in Washington, D.C., using the U.S. capital as a stage for their intensifying election campaign back home. Their visits, ostensibly to attend the funeral of Senator Lindsey Graham, are primarily aimed at securing American favor, especially from President Donald Trump, a key voter who does not cast a ballot in Israel's upcoming October 27 election.

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The first step is obvious” to restoring Israel’s reputation, Lapid said. “Send into retirement Benjamin Netanyahu and his group of extremists who are tearing us apart at home and abroad.

Netanyahu, who has built a career on being Israel's indispensable envoy to its most important ally, met with Trump. His mission is to garner support for the ongoing war against Iran, a conflict he and Trump initiated. Netanyahu emphasized his close relationship with Trump, noting it was his eighth meeting since Trump's second term began, more than any other world leader.

Lapid, speaking at the Atlantic Council think tank, sought to undermine Netanyahu's reputation as a master of American diplomacy. He argued that Netanyahu and his "extremists" are damaging Israel's reputation both domestically and internationally. Lapid, who envisions himself as foreign minister in a future government led by security hawk Naftali Bennett, also highlighted his own connection to the American psyche, referencing his cross-country road trips in an essay for The Atlantic.

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I am on my way to Washington to a meeting with our friend the president of the United States, Donald Trump. This is my eighth meeting with him since he was elected for his second term, more than any other world leader. It is a great privilege, and also a great responsibility.

Both leaders claimed a close relationship with the late Senator Graham, a staunch pro-Israel politician who supported Netanyahu's push for the Iran war. Lapid incorporated Graham into his argument that the long-term goal for both Israel and the United States should be the collapse of the Iranian regime. He recalled his last conversation with Graham being about this very objective.

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The last conversation I had with the late Lindsey Graham was about this.

Lapid declared that the upcoming election would be "the most dramatic, the most crucial, the most intense the country has ever seen," setting a high-stakes tone for his campaign efforts abroad. The leaders' presence in Washington underscores the significant role U.S. political dynamics play in Israeli domestic politics.

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the coming election would ‘be the most dramatic, the most crucial, the most intense the country has ever seen.’