US midterm results may help unite Israeli coalition to unseat Netanyahu

Democrats’ sweep could urge Israel’s divided opposition to join forces and remove prime minister closely allied with Trump

The Democrats’ sweep of Congress may make it easier for Israel’s splintered opposition to overcome deep internal divisions and form a coalition government, by increasing the urgency of unseating Benjamin Netanyahu, who has associated himself so closely with Donald Trump’s Republicans.

But as Israel took stock of the results, there was also a sense that the elections marked a longer-term shift in US politics that will make the job of any new Israeli leader far more difficult.

The United States provides Israel with critical military and diplomatic support, so nurturing bipartisan ties was the cornerstone of foreign policy for decades.