Netanyahu rivals seize on US election results to push for his ouster

Benjamin Netanyahu’s political rivals seized on Democrats’ capture of the US Congress as proof that he had squandered generations of bipartisan American support for Israel, as they seek a chance to form a government without him.

Democrats won majorities in both the Senate and House in Tuesday’s midterm election, in a scathing rebuke to President Donald Trump fuelled in part by deep frustration over the unpopular US-Israeli war on Iran.

The US vote took place just a week after an Israeli election, when Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition lost its parliamentary majority but performed well enough to deny his main opponent Gadi Eisenkot a clear path to unseat him.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog is due to hold talks on Wednesday and Thursday with party representatives before tasking one of the two men with forming the next government. Meanwhile Netanyahu remains prime minister as a caretaker.

The US has been Israel’s staunchest ally for generations under presidents of both parties, providing billions of dollars a year in military aid since the 1970s. But unlike previous leaders who assiduously courted Democrats and Republicans alike, Netanyahu has openly backed Republicans.

Support for Israel among Democrats and some Republicans wavered after Israel launched its military assault in Gaza following the 2023 Hamas attack, and fell further this year since Trump and Netanyahu ordered a joint attack on Iran.

Some Democratic candidates made criticism of American military aid to Israel a prominent campaign argument. On Tuesday, Trump, who had endorsed Netanyahu, made an election-day pledge to halt US$4 billion in annual funding to Israel, a move he said would take away a “bad talking point” used by Democrats.

Yair Golan, head of Israel’s centre-left opposition Democrats party, said on X that the US midterm election results “reveal just how toxic Netanyahu is among both Democrats and Republicans”.

Centrist opposition leader Yair Lapid said the results showed “Israel cannot afford” for Netanyahu to remain in office.

“It endangers our security, it jeopardises our democracy, and it will ruin our standing on the global stage,” Lapid said in a social media post.

Netanyahu has so far remained silent about the outcome of the US vote. His office did not respond to a request for comment.

It could be weeks or months before it becomes clear whether it is Netanyahu or Eisenkot who ultimately faces the task of repairing the relationship. Whichever candidate is chosen first must build a new coalition or the other will be given an opportunity. If both fail, a new election would be called.

Meanwhile, Udi Sommer, a professor of political science at Tel Aviv University, predicted that the incoming Democratic-controlled US Congress would be the most adversarial towards Israel in its history.

Although most power over foreign policy still resides with the president, Democrats could apply pressure through hearings, congressional oversight and budgetary measures, he said.

“The Democratic landslide and the Republican wipeout encapsulate the next chapter in US-Israel relations,” Sommer said.

Subscribe to our newsletter and get news delivered to your mailbox.