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Monday, November 9, 2026
Trump says Eisenkot and Netanyahu are ‘very similar in terms of their policy’
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleJacob Magid is The Times of Israel's US bureau chief
Asked for comment on Yashar chairman Gadi Eisenkot being given the first opportunity over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to form a new government in Israel, US President Donald Trump claims the two leaders have largely similar views and have both said nice things about them.
“They’re very similar in terms of their policy… [Eisenkot] said very nice things about me. He says he loves Trump, but… I haven’t seen what’s happening. It’s certainly a contest between him and Bibi Netanyahu. We’ll see what happens,” Trump tells reporters.
Eisenkot avoided criticizing Trump after the US president endorsed Netanyahu ahead of last month’s Knesset election.
Eisenkot has sought to differentiate himself from Netanyahu on the style in which he would govern, but indeed has avoided laying out substantive policy differences. He has indicated a desire to form a more moderate government than Netanyahu’s outgoing coalition, which included far-right and ultra-Orthodox parties.
The Times of Israel Community.