Netanyahu kicks off election campaign with security-focused speech
Benjamin Netanyahu insists only he and his party can guarantee Israel's security despite criticism over the failure to prevent the Oct 7 Hamas-led attack.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu inaugurated his Likud party's election campaign on Thursday, emphasizing security as the central theme. Despite criticism over his administration's inability to thwart the Hamas-led Oct 7, 2023 attack, the deadliest in Israeli history, Netanyahu asserted that his party alone can ensure Israel's security.
He detailed Israeli military operations in Iran, Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza since 2023, vowing to dismantle the Iranian regime and eliminate Hezbollah and Hamas. Netanyahu also accused opponents of seeking territorial concessions, highlighting Israeli military presence in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza as proof of Israel's land acquisition strategy.
He reiterated the claim that he has transformed the Middle East, promising further change, though specifics were not provided. Netanyahu, leading the most right-wing government in Israeli history, has escalated settlement construction in the West Bank, deemed illegal under international law, amid surging violence since the Gaza war.
As the first Israeli leader to face a criminal trial for corruption, he denies the charges. Recent opinion polls suggest the Oct 27 elections could be a tight race, with Netanyahu and his far-right, ultra-Orthodox allies opposing his centrist rival Gadi Eisenkot, backed by parties from both the right and left.
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