BROADENING CRITICISM OF ISRAEL
The brand new Congress will embody progressive Democrats resembling Abdul El-Sayed, the primary Muslim elected to the Senate, who describe the devastation in Gaza as genocide, an assertion rejected by Israel.
Netanyahu “made a wager not solely on the Republicans however nearly personally on Trump”, mentioned Eli Kowaz, senior coverage director of the Financial Cooperation Basis, an Israeli assume tank that backs a two-state answer with the Palestinians.
“These outcomes present that wager had an expiry date,” Kowaz mentioned. “Additionally, for the primary time, actually, I believe there is a realisation that it is not solely in regards to the Democrats. It is an issue with the connection with America.”
With out US help, Israel nonetheless has its personal main arms trade and retains a transparent edge combating non-state actors resembling Hamas and Hezbollah, mentioned Ehud Eilam, a former researcher for the Israeli defence ministry.
However he mentioned Israel would want to rely extra on cheaper artillery or non-sophisticated bombs, additional growing dangers of civilian casualties which have enraged worldwide opinion.
“Israel can modify to a brand new strategic actuality of dropping a lot and even all US army assist, however it is going to be robust for Israel. It would require Israel to think about laborious decisions resembling taking big loans or elevating taxes,” Eilam mentioned.
Kowaz mentioned that Eisenkot, conscious of politics in Washington, was making an attempt to point out he’s interested by regional stability and strategic agreements and never simply “an indefinite state of warfare”.
“He’s positively laying out a distinct imaginative and prescient for Israel’s relationship with the USA.”
