Political rivals of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu used the results of the United States midterm elections as evidence that he has weakened Israel's historic ties with American leadership. The opposition figures made these accusations on Wednesday while continuing their efforts to form a new government that excludes the current prime minister.
Democrats secured majorities in both the Senate and the House of Representatives in Tuesday's election. This outcome served as a significant rebuke to President Donald Trump, a result driven partly by widespread frustration over the joint US-Israeli military campaign against Iran. The US vote occurred just one week after Israel's own national election, where Netanyahu's right-wing coalition lost its parliamentary majority but prevented his main rival, Gadi Eisenkot, from securing a clear path to power.
President Isaac Herzog is scheduled to meet with party representatives on Wednesday and Thursday. Following these discussions, he will assign either Netanyahu or Eisenkot the task of forming the next government. In the interim, Netanyahu remains in office as a caretaker prime minister.
The United States has historically been Israel's most reliable ally, providing billions of dollars in annual military aid since the 1970s under both Republican and Democratic administrations. However, Netanyahu has distinguished himself from previous leaders by openly supporting Republican candidates over their Democratic counterparts.
Support for Israel among Democrats and some Republicans declined after the military offensive in Gaza that followed the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023. Support dropped further this year after Trump and Netanyahu authorized a joint strike on Iran. Several Democratic candidates highlighted criticism of US military aid to Israel during their campaigns.
On election day, Trump pledged to quickly stop the $4 billion in annual funding to Israel. He stated that this move would remove a key argument used by Democrats. Avigdor Liberman, the chair of Yisrael Beytenu, connected Trump's endorsement of Netanyahu to the cost of the aid, noting the loss of $3.8 billion a year in a post on X.
Yair Golan, head of the left-wing Democrats party, described the midterm results as proof of Netanyahu's toxic standing with both US parties. Golan warned that the continued tenure of Netanyahu and far-right minister Itamar Ben Gvir could lead to international sanctions and global isolation. He characterized Netanyahu as dangerous for Israel following his loss in the recent election.
Centrist opposition leader Yair Lapid also cited the results, arguing that Israel cannot afford to keep Netanyahu in office. Lapid stated that the situation endangers security, jeopardizes democracy, and will damage Israel's global standing. Netanyahu has remained silent regarding the US election outcome and Trump's announcement, with his office not responding to requests for comment.
It may take weeks or months to determine which leader will be tasked with repairing relations with the US. The individual chosen by the president must build a coalition, or the other candidate will receive a chance. If both fail, a new election will be called. Udi Sommer, a political science professor at Tel Aviv University, predicted that the new Democratic-controlled Congress would be the most adversarial toward Israel in history.
Sommer noted that while the president retains most foreign policy power, Democrats can exert pressure through hearings and budgetary measures. He described the election results as encapsulating the next chapter in US-Israel relations.
