Washington:The White House has labeled Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's intense lobbying for campaign support as a "sign of desperation" as he faces a critical parliamentary election on Tuesday.

According to Anadolu Agency – English, a US source familiar with the situation indicated that officials see Netanyahu's "aggressive" outreach as a signal that he believes he is trailing in the election race. This interpretation follows Netanyahu's reported communications with US President Donald Trump, where he sought to reinforce Trump's endorsement and suggested specific language for phone interviews with Israeli journalists.

Netanyahu is in a challenging battle against opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot. Recent television polls released last Friday indicate that Netanyahu's coalition is significantly short of achieving a majority.