Israel’s opposition slams ‘toxic Netanyahu’ after Democrats win US Congress

What the report says

Israeli opposition figures used the Democratic Party’s win in the US Congress to argue that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is harming Israel’s standing in Washington, according to Al Jazeera reporting published on November 5, 2026. The comments came amid broader political turbulence in Israel, where Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc had recently lost its parliamentary majority in a national election, though no clear replacement had yet emerged.

Former prime minister Yair Lapid said the US results showed Israel “cannot afford” for Netanyahu to stay in office, arguing that his leadership threatens security, democracy and Israel’s global reputation. Lapid also said Israel should return to a bipartisan approach in the United States, rather than aligning too closely with one party. Another opposition figure, Gadi Eisenkot, said his side would work to rebuild and deepen bipartisan ties if it formed the next government.

Yair Golan went further, describing Netanyahu as “toxic” for both Democrats and Republicans and warning that continued rule by Netanyahu and his far-right allies could lead to isolation and sanctions. Al Jazeera noted that the United States has long been Israel’s closest ally and a major source of military aid, but also that Netanyahu has in recent years been more openly associated with Republicans, a shift that has drawn criticism from Democrats.

The article also said the American Israel Public Affairs Committee welcomed pro-Israel lawmakers from both parties, signaling that key pro-Israel groups still want to preserve cross-party support in Congress.