Israeli Opposition Criticizes Netanyahu After US Democrats Gain Control of Congress

Israeli opposition leaders are stepping up their criticism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. They say he is hurting Israel’s relationship with the United States after Democrats took control of both houses of Congress in the recent midterm elections.

The Democratic win on November 3 is viewed as a setback for US President Donald Trump. It might complicate the strong support the US usually gives to Israel, especially with rising opposition to the US-Israeli conflict with Iran and Israel’s military actions in Gaza.

Former Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid stated that the election results show Netanyahu should no longer be in power. He warned that Netanyahu’s leadership threatens Israel’s security, democracy, and global reputation. Lapid expressed on social media that Netanyahu’s actions endanger Israel’s safety and could damage its standing in the world.

Lapid also accused Netanyahu of moving away from Israel’s traditional bipartisan relationship with the US by aligning himself with Republicans. He referred to Netanyahu’s controversial speech to the US Congress in 2015, where he opposed then-President Barack Obama’s nuclear deal with Iran.

Another opposition member, Yair Golan, described Netanyahu as increasingly unpopular among American politicians. He said the recent elections revealed how “toxic” Netanyahu has become to both Democrats and Republicans. Golan warned that keeping Netanyahu and his far-right government might lead Israel to face international sanctions and diplomatic isolation.

Gadi Eisenkot, another opposition figure, promised to restore Israel’s bipartisan ties with Washington if he could form the next government. This criticism comes as Netanyahu deals with political challenges at home after his bloc won 53 seats in the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, but fell short of the 61 needed for a majority.

The Democratic control of Congress could affect Israel’s military and diplomatic relationship with the US, as some Democratic lawmakers are questioning ongoing military aid to Israel. Trump, who supported Netanyahu during the election, has also suggested ending the annual US military aid to Israel, which amounts to about $3.8 billion.

Despite the backlash, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) congratulated pro-Israel candidates who won their elections, noting that 234 candidates it backed were victorious. Netanyahu has not yet responded to the latest criticisms from the opposition.