Trump Congratulates Bibi on Becoming the Longest Serving Prime Minister in Israeli History

By: Elad Benari

President Trump congratulated Benjamin Netanyahu over the weekend on becoming the longest serving prime minister in Israeli history.

“Congratulations to Bibi@netanyahu on becoming the longest serving PM in the history of Israel. Under your leadership, Israel has become a technology powerhouse and a world class economy…,” Trump tweeted on Sunday, a day after Netanyahu reached the milestone by surpassing David Ben-Gurion’s total of 4,875 days in office.

“….Most importantly you have led Israel with a commitment to the values of democracy, freedom, and equal opportunity that both our nations cherish and share!” a follow-up tweet read.

Netanyahu thanked Trump in a tweet an hour later, which also lauded the relationship between the United States and Israel: Thank you, President Trump, for your warm words, outstanding support & incredible friendship. I’m honored to have the opportunity to work with you. Under your leadership, we’ve made the alliance between our two remarkable countries stronger than ever. I know there’s more to come.”

On Saturday, Netanyahu served 4,876 days from 1996 to 1999, and from March 2009 to the present. He faces a new election on Sept. 17 and possible indictment in three different corruption cases the following month.

Prior to Netanyahu, the longest serving Israeli prime minister was its very first head of state in the aftermath of its founding in May of 1948.

David Ben Gurion, the country’s first prime minister who served in office for 4,875 days, from the establishment of the state in May 1948 until early 1954 He then served from November 1955 to June 1963.

(INN)