Trump Advisers Open to Working With Netanyahu's Opposition If PM Loses Election, Report Says

Advisers to US President Donald Trump are optimistic about opportunities to work with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's political opposition if he loses Israel's upcoming election, US officials told Axios.

"[Netanyahu] is the devil [Trump] knows," one Trump adviser told the outlet. The report also said many of the president's closest advisers opposed his decision to endorse Netanyahu, believing he should stay out of the Israeli election entirely.

Vice President JD Vance declined to back the prime minister when asked about the race this week. "I'm not attacking Bibi Netanyahu. I'm not endorsing Bibi Netanyahu.. I think the president's endorsement is ultimately what matters," Vance told reporters.

The report also pointed to strains within the administration over Israeli policy. US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack raised concerns about the Netanyahu government's approach to Syria and Israel's continued military operations there. After Israeli strikes on a base in Syria's northern Idlib province, Barrack denounced the attack as an "unnecessary escalation that does not advance regional stability."

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his team have maintained a better relationship with the prime minister, but they believe Israel could do more to strengthen Lebanon's government, according to the report. They have also expressed frustration with what they view as Netanyahu's failure to do more to curb settler attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank.

The report comes as Netanyahu's polling position weakens ahead of the October 27 vote. The latest Maariv poll showed the opposition bloc widening its lead to 54 seats, while Netanyahu's bloc dropped to 48.

The survey also found that 60% of respondents would prefer a unity government if the election fails to produce a clear governing majority, while 23% favored holding another election. Seventeen percent said they were undecided.

Among those who favored a unity government, 33% wanted a candidate from the opposition bloc to lead it, compared with 19% who preferred Netanyahu. Another 8% supported a unity government regardless of who led it.

In a head-to-head matchup for prime minister, Eisenkot led Netanyahu with 49% support against 41% for the incumbent, the poll found.