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Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid said Wednesday that Democrats' victory in the U.S. midterm elections has eliminated any possibility of a unity government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"Zinny's outbursts at night and the American election results in the morning have one unexpected outcome: they eliminate any possibility of a unity government led by Netanyahu," Lapid wrote on X.
"Israel cannot afford to let him remain prime minister," he said, adding that Netanyahu’s continued tenure endangers Israel’s security and democracy and "ruins us internationally."
Democrats won control of both chambers of Congress, dealing a setback to U.S. President Donald Trump, who has backed Netanyahu. U.S. media projected a 53-42 Democratic advantage in the Senate as of 0700 GMT.
Democrats Party leader Yair Golan said the results "reveal how harmful a figure Netanyahu is for both Democrats and Republicans."
Golan warned that keeping Netanyahu and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir in power could drag Israel into international sanctions, isolation and conflict with the U.S.
"Either Netanyahu’s Israel, ‘Super Sparta,’ a boycotted, backward and isolated Israel; or a strong, progressive, free and secure Israel. Netanyahu lost the elections. He is dangerous for Israel," Golan wrote, calling for a change government without delay.
Netanyahu’s bloc won 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset in the Oct. 27 election, the opposition 48 and Arab parties 19. Netanyahu has said he is open to a broad government but insists on leading it, while opposition leaders have ruled out serving under him.
President Isaac Herzog was set to begin consultations with Knesset factions Wednesday before choosing a lawmaker to form the next government.
The 2026 U.S. midterm elections produced a series of historic firsts across the country, with women and candidates from minority communities breaking longstanding barriers in races for governor and Congress.
The results included the election of the first Black woman governor in U.S. history, the first Native American woman to win a Senate seat, and the first Muslim member of Congress from New Jersey, among other milestones.
The election also reshaped the balance of power in Washington. Democrats secured a majority in the U.S. Senate in Tuesday's midterm elections, dealing a significant blow to the second half of U.S. President Donald Trump's presidency. U.S. media projected a 53-42 Democratic advantage as of 0700GMT, driven by at least seven seat pickups across the nation.
Democrats also won control of the U.S. House of Representatives in Tuesday's midterms after Johnny Garcia defeated Carlos De La Cruz in Texas’s 35th District, according to The Associated Press.
The victory gave Democrats the 218 seats needed for a majority in the 435-member chamber, ending Republican control and dealing a major political setback to President Donald Trump. As of 0639GMT, 87 seats had yet to be called.
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