Netanyahu issues threats as polls show him trailing Eisenkot before Oct 27 vote
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued threats against Iran, Hamas, and Palestinian statehood in a live interview on Channel 14, as polls show his Likud party trailing Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party ahead of the October 27 election. He said Israel would occupy all of Gaza if Hamas does not disarm and vowed to prevent Iran from restarting its nuclear program. Netanyahu dismissed settler violence in the West Bank as the work of a few youths and said the state would handle any village entry.
Key Facts
- Polls show Netanyahu's Likud party trailing Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party ahead of the October 27 election.
- Netanyahu said Israel would occupy all of Gaza if Hamas does not disarm.
- Netanyahu claimed Iran is determined to restart its nuclear program to produce an atomic bomb.
- Netanyahu dismissed West Bank settler violence as the work of a few youths and said the state would handle any village entry.
Election Context
Netanyahu's Likud party is trailing Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party in public opinion polls ahead of the October 27 election. The prime minister gave the interview to Channel 14, a television station close to his government. Public assessments suggest Netanyahu is running a fear-based election campaign and hardening his rhetoric to win votes.
Threats and Claims
Netanyahu said Israel's work in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria is not finished and that new threats remain. He claimed Iran is determined to restart its nuclear program to produce an atomic bomb, despite being pushed back. Netanyahu vowed that as long as he is prime minister, he will not allow Iran to restart its nuclear program. He said Iran is weaker and more unstable than before when asked whether the Tehran government would be toppled. On Gaza, Netanyahu said Israel would occupy the entire Strip if Hamas does not lay down its weapons.
West Bank and Settler Violence
Netanyahu said he has not allowed the establishment of a Palestinian state and will not allow it in the future. He dismissed attacks by Israelis seizing Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank as the work of a few youths. Netanyahu said anyone wanting to enter a village cannot do so because the army, police, and government are there. He claimed the settler attacks harm illegal settlement expansion and damage Israel's global reputation. Netanyahu accused international and Israeli media of exaggerating the dramatic rise in attacks in the West Bank.
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Netanyahu issues threats as polls show him trailing Eisenkot before Oct 27 vote
