US elections 2024: Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu congratulates Donald Trump on 'a huge victory'
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has congratulated Donald Trump on what he called "history's greatest comeback" on Wednesday as the former US president looked set to retake the White House.
Posting on X before Trump obtained the final electoral votes to officially declare victory, Netanyahu addressed both Trump and his wife, Melania, calling his campaign run "a huge victory".
"Your historic return to the White House offers a new beginning for America and a powerful recommitment to the great alliance between Israel and America," Netanyahu wrote.
"In true friendship," he signed off. "Yours, Benjamin and Sara Netanyahu."
Israel's war on Gaza has left US-Israel ties under serious pressure, even as the Biden administration has continued over the course of the 13-month conflict to offer military and diplomatic support to Israel.
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Last month, the White House put Netanyahu on notice last month that he had 30 days to take specific steps to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza or risk losing US military aid, which has so far amounted to $17.9bn since last October.
Meanwhile, Trump has reportedly told Netanyahu last month that he needed to end the war by the time he returns to office, assuming he would win.
The former US president was apparently repeating comments he had shared in July when the two met for the first time in four years at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort.
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