With both countries' elections concluded, can Israel reset its US ties? - editorial

NOVEMBER 9, 2026 05:59After President Isaac Herzog handed him the mandate, Yashar leader Gadi Eisenkot is beginning his 28-day effort to form a coalition to lead Israel through the myriad challenges ahead.One of those most urgent challenges is the deteriorating image of Israel abroad, especially among the populace of its greatest ally, the United States.Between the results of the US midterm elections – with a sweep by Democrats, including victories by staunch anti-Israel politicians – US Vice President JD Vance’s response – declaring that support for Israel was one of four major factors in the Republicans’ trouncing and expressing the need for a reset in the ties between the two countries – and US President Donald Trump’s announcement of the end of “$4 billion” in aid to the Jewish state, Israel-US ties are entering uncharted territory.The “change” bloc led by Eisenkot is not the only one placing the onus for those frayed ties on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.Former US ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro last week deemed Netanyahu politically “toxic” in Washington in an interview with Ynet. He claimed that not only are Democrats unwilling to work with Netanyahu, but that Republicans – as exemplified by the Vance camp – increasingly associate him with the unpopular war against Iran. Shapiro’s conclusion, like that of Eisenkot’s bloc, is that Israel’s deteriorating standing in the United States could become impossible to reverse without a change in leadership and policy.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a Christian Conference in Jerusalem, on April 27, 2025 (credit: Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)Netanyahu-free Eisenkot-led coalition not guaranteed to fix relationshipHowever, those who believe that an Eisenkot-led coalition without Netanyahu will help rehabilitate Israel’s standing abroad may be in for a rude awakening. A case in point is last week’s exchange between Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid, perceived among American liberals as the reasonable, peace-minded voice in Israeli politics, and New York Congressman-elect Brad Lander.A day after last week’s US midterms, Lapid wrote a lengthy X/Twitter post, saying that America was not “lost” and proposed a plan to shore up bipartisan support for Israel.Stating that most Democratic officials don’t oppose Israel but have been dismayed by Netanyahu’s coalition, especially the behavior and policies of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, Lapid proposed that Israeli leaders embark on a listening tour of the US, speaking not just with politicians from both parties but also with leaders of US Jewry and other religious and ethnic communities across the ideological spectrum.He urged the next Israeli government – which he plans to be part of – to focus on marginalizing the extreme anti-Israel Democrats and concentrate on reestablishing ties with the moderates who have distanced themselves from the Jewish state.Lapid’s attempt at reconciliation and his promise to reset Israel’s relationship with the US were immediately rebuffed by Lander, who responded: “You’re not listening to what American voters – Jewish and non-Jewish – are saying. We aren’t starving for a barnstorming tour. We’re hungry to see respect for international law and human rights.”Lander, briefly detained by Israeli officials last month for joining a group of international volunteers accompanying local Palestinian farmers during the olive harvest, identifies as a Zionist but has also accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza.For him, and for many in the Democratic Party – which now controls the House and the Senate – it doesn’t matter who is in power in Israel as long as the perceived “occupation” of Palestinian land still exists.Lapid responded to that criticism and other comments on his post: “There will be those who want to genuinely engage to rebuild and repair the relationship between our two countries, and there will be those who relentlessly push an anti-Israel agenda no matter what. I’m interested in those who are willing to listen and engage.”Have we reached the point of no return?The question is whether we have already reached the point of no return. It won’t be a surprise if we discover, with Netanyahu potentially out of the picture, that he wasn’t really the problem but just a convenient scapegoat for widespread anti-Israel sentiment.No matter which government leads Israel, it will be demonized as “bloodthirsty” and “genocidal.”Let’s hope that, if Eisenkot succeeds in forming a government without Netanyahu, Lapid can also succeed in his plan to reset ties with the US. However, the signs that it will be a Herculean task are already apparent.Follow us on Google