On September 17 (local time), Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu officially launched the Likud party's election campaign in Tel Aviv with a speech focused on security commitments.
Despite the wave of harsh criticism about the government's failure to stop the attack on October 7, 2023 by Hamas forces, Netanyahu affirmed that he and the ruling party are the only force capable of ensuring security for the country.
Listing a series of military operations that the Israeli army has deployed across the fronts of Iran, Lebanon, Syria and the Gaza Strip since 2023, the head of the Israeli government emphasized that the mission must be fully accomplished by completely destroying Hezbollah and Hamas.
He also strongly criticized political opponents who intend to concede territory, and declared that the presence of Israeli soldiers in many regional hotspots is evidence that the country will seize more land instead of abandoning it.
Mr. Netanyahu currently leads the most right-leaning government in Israeli history, continuously promoting the construction of settlements considered illegal under international law in the West Bank, and is also the first prime minister to face trials for corruption charges that he has always denied.
According to public opinion polls, the parliamentary election scheduled for October 27 will witness very close competition. Mr. Netanyahu's ruling bloc and far-right and Orthodox Jewish allies will have to directly confront the centrist coalition led by former Army Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot.
