President Donald Trump’s endorsement of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could improve the Israeli leader’s standing in the polls. But it is unlikely to give his bloc the 61 Knesset seats needed to form a government in the Oct. 27 election, Israeli analysts told Al-Monitor.

After months of refraining from issuing an endorsement, Trump endorsed Netanyahu on Truth Social on Oct. 18, praising his leadership and cooperation with Washington during the war against Iran. He concluded his lengthy post with a declaration of “Complete and Total Endorsement of Bibi Netanyahu in his upcoming Race for Re-Election as Prime Minister of Israel,” adding, “BIBI NETANYAHU WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!”

Last-minute endorsement 

Trump had withheld an explicit endorsement of Netanyahu in the Israeli election until Sunday.