White House has not made decision to intervene in Israeli coalition talks — official
Reports that Washington will push for a unity government to resolve inconclusive election outcome are 'false and premature,' US official tells ToI
US President Donald Trump’s administration has not made a decision to intervene in efforts to assemble an Israeli governing coalition following the inconclusive outcome of the elections, a US official told The Times of Israel on Wednesday.
The official asserted that reports of specific constellations preferred by Washington were “false and premature,” adding that the results were still coming in, and that it was too early for decisions to be made on the matter.
Earlier, Channel 13 cited unnamed sources that Washington was disappointed with the election results and sent a message to Jerusalem that it does not want to see a repeated vote, as another round of fighting with Iran is on the way, and the White House wants political stability from its ally Israel.
The network also said that the US does not want to see far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich or like-minded National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir in the next government, but that so far there has been no pressure on Israel to form the unity government that would likely be needed to keep the pair and their parties out of a coalition.
The Kan public broadcaster, citing unnamed sources, similarly reported that the Trump administration is considering backing a unity government, and that it particularly wants to keep Ben Gvir out of a possible coalition as he is seen as hindering Washington’s plans for the Gaza Strip, among other projects.
Both Smotrich and Ben Gvir support an Israeli takeover of Gaza, the voluntary relocation of its inhabitants, and the reestablishment of Israeli settlements there. The idea negates the future for Gaza laid out in the US-brokered ceasefire plan that halted the war in the coastal enclave that was triggered by the Hamas-led invasion of southern Israel on October 7, 2023.
Asked about getting involved in efforts to form a unity government headed by Netanyahu during an interview with the Axios news site Wednesday, Trump claimed he hadn’t thought about the idea.
“I will take a look,” he said.
Results published by the Central Elections Committee late Wednesday gave the bloc led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 53 seats and the Zionist opposition bloc 48, both short of the 61 seats needed for a majority. The Arab parties were at an unprecedented 19 seats.
Earlier Wednesday, Trump credited his endorsement of Netanyahu for boosting the premier in Sunday’s Knesset election, with the prime minister’s Likud party remaining the largest in the Knesset.