The blame game: How the US midterm shock is shaping Israel’s race for PM

After Donald Trump’s Republicans suffered a heavy defeat in the US midterms, early explanations have focused in part on the Iran war and the US relationship with Israel. Benjamin Netanyahu, who has cast himself as the guarantor of strong ties with Washington and received Trump’s endorsement before Israel’s October election, now faces a weakened version of that argument. Many Israelis are worried that US support can no longer be taken for granted. As parties negotiate to form a government after Israel’s parliamentary elections, the opposition blames Netanyahu and says he should not lead the next government.