Israeli opposition challenges Netanyahu over US ties after reported Democratic congressional wins

Israeli opposition leaders accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of damaging relations with Washington after Democrats won both chambers of Congress, according to Al Jazeera’s November 5, 2026 report. Yair Lapid urged a return to working with both US parties, while Gadi Eisenkot promised to rebuild bipartisan cooperation if he led Israel’s next government.

The criticism followed an Israeli election in which Netanyahu’s coalition lost its parliamentary majority without giving Eisenkot a clear route to power, the report said. Opposition politician Yair Golan warned that Netanyahu’s continued leadership risked isolation and confrontation with Washington. Netanyahu had not immediately responded to the criticism.

The dispute concerned a relationship the report described as underpinning billions of dollars in annual US military assistance to Israel since the 1970s. It also reported Trump’s pledge to stop $4 billion in yearly funding. That was a stated commitment, not evidence that assistance had already ended.