Netanyahu aide tells voters to pick team that can end Iran rule

Israeli voters face a specific choice on Tuesday regarding who will guide the nation through the final two years of President Donald Trump's term. Ophir Falk, the prime minister's foreign policy adviser, argues that Benjamin Netanyahu is the only leader positioned to execute a removal of Iran's government alongside the US president. Falk submitted written remarks to The Jerusalem Post ahead of the election, framing the contest as a question of operational capability rather than just domestic policy. He stated that the "Trump-Netanyahu team has shown to be suited to do so," referring to the task of removing what he called the "genocidal Ayatollah regime."

Falk contends that the strategic partnership between Jerusalem and Washington is currently at its strongest point. He noted that Iran and its proxy groups, including Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis, are at their weakest. Falk suggested that Israel's adversaries actively want Netanyahu to lose the upcoming election. He wrote that these groups "want Netanyahu to lose," implying that a different leadership team might struggle to maintain the current momentum against Tehran. The adviser described the removal of Iran's current leadership as being in the best interests of America, Israel, and civilization as a whole.

President Trump reinforced this messaging on Sunday evening. The US leader renewed his endorsement of Netanyahu on Truth Social, urging Israelis to support the incumbent in the October 27 vote. Trump wrote, "Vote for Bibi Netanyahu for Prime Minister; we have to finish the job that we started!" His comments align with Falk's argument that the existing alliance is essential for completing the work in the region. The two leaders have recently emphasized the strength of their coordination in regional peace efforts and security operations.

Falk first discussed the possibility of regime change in an October 15 interview with the same publication. At that time, he described Israel as "very close" to creating the conditions necessary for a change in Tehran. However, he stressed that the final decision must rest with the Iranian people. He stated that "Regime change in Iran is up to the Iranian people," indicating that while the conditions may be ripe, the ultimate action is internal. His recent written remarks did not provide a specific timetable for how this transition would occur.

The written comments did not detail the specific mechanisms the United States and Israel would use to work toward removing Iran's leadership. Falk focused on the political alignment between the two heads of state rather than military or diplomatic steps. The election takes place on Tuesday, with results expected to determine the direction of Israel's foreign policy in the coming months.