Lapid Warns Netanyahu's Leadership Endangers Israel After Democratic Midterm Sweep

The US midterm election results landed like a punch in the face of Israel’s political establishment. Democrats swept both the Senate and the House on Tuesday, delivering a stinging rebuke to President Donald Trump. The frustration driving that vote was fueled significantly by deep dissatisfaction over the joint US-Israeli war against Iran. Now, Israeli opposition figures are turning that anger inward, blaming Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for eroding American support.

Yair Lapid, a former prime minister currently part of the coalition trying to unseat Netanyahu, made his position clear on Wednesday. He argued that the American electorate’s choice proves "Israel cannot afford" to keep Netanyahu in office. The stakes are high, he warned. "It endangers our security, it jeopardizes our democracy, and it will ruin our standing on the global stage," Lapid posted on social media.

This isn't just partisan bickering. For decades, Israel has enjoyed a rock-solid alliance with Washington, backed by presidents from both major parties. Since the 1970s, the US has poured billions of dollars in annual military aid into Israel. But Netanyahu broke that mold. Unlike his predecessors who carefully courted Democrats and Republicans alike, he openly sided with the Republican base.

The timing is awkward. This congressional shakeup happened just a week after Israel’s own general election. In that race, Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition lost its parliamentary majority but held on well enough to block Gadi Eisenkot, his main rival, from securing a clear path to power. Now, with the US political landscape shifting, the pressure on Netanyahu is mounting.

Trump himself has taken aim at the funding pipeline. On Tuesday, the US president, who had personally endorsed Netanyahu in Israel’s election, pledged to halt $4 billion in annual funding to Israel. His rationale? He claimed the move would strip Democrats of a "bad talking point."

Lapid wants to reverse the trend. He argued that Israel needs to return to a rule that worked for seventy years until it "broke in 2015." That year, Netanyahu delivered a controversial speech to Congress against the nuclear deal Barack Obama was negotiating with Iran. By aligning himself with Obama’s Republican opponents, Netanyahu effectively chose a side in American politics.

"I said it then, I say it today: Israel doesn’t choose sides in America. We work with everyone," Lapid wrote on X. He acknowledged that the "anti-Israel core" in Congress has grown. But he insisted it still represents less than 10 percent of the Senate. The message to Netanyahu is blunt: the bipartisan bridge is broken, and his rivals say they intend to rebuild it.

Democrats Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer will head the House and Senate, respectively. The former leader of the Israeli opposition, Yair Lapid, pointed out that both men remain personal friends. They also defied their own party majorities to vote in favor of Israel this year.

Speaking on X, Eisenkot pledged to rebuild Washington’s bipartisan relationship with Tel Aviv under his watch. He promised to deepen that partnership and shore up the bipartisan foundations holding it together. The goal? A Middle East defined by opportunity and cooperation, not just the lack of war.

“Israel will remain one of America’s most reliable and capable strategic partners in the Middle East,” he wrote. He stressed that this bond benefits both nations in every aspect.

Yair Golan, representing another party within the anti-Netanyahu coalition, took a sharper tone. He argued the US election results highlight just how toxic Netanyahu has become among Democrats and Republicans alike. Golan warned that keeping Netanyahu and his far-right government in power puts Israel on a trajectory toward international sanctions. It also risks global isolation and a direct confrontation with the United States.

Netanyahu did not immediately respond to these criticisms.

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the top pro-Israel lobbying group in the US, echoed Lapid’s sentiments. In a post on X, it congratulated the hundreds of pro-Israel Democrats and Republicans who won their seats last night. The group noted that 234 candidates it supported secured victory. It specifically named Schumer and Jeffries, vowing to boost support for lawmakers who recognize that a strong Israel-US partnership keeps both countries secure.