Tuesday's US midterm elections dominated attention in Israel on Wednesday, after Democrats retook control of both chambers of Congress and several candidates openly critical of Israel secured victories. President Trump's announcement that Washington will halt its annual $4 billion aid package to Israel added to the sense of unease, even as domestic political turmoil continued with coalition talks stalling and the Shin Bet raising alarm over suspected foreign meddling in Israeli elections.

International

Democrats swept to control of the US House and Senate in Tuesday's midterms, with President Trump and senior aides gathered at the White House to watch results come in. Several winning candidates have drawn particular attention in Israel. In Michigan, Abdul El-Sayed became the first Muslim elected to the US Senate after a campaign in which he accused Israel of genocide over the Gaza war and called for an end to US security assistance to Jerusalem; his campaign was also dogged by controversy over an antisemitic advert involving eggs. In New York, a slate of progressive candidates backed by Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, including Chevalier, Lander and Valdez, comfortably won House seats, while Governor Kathy Hochul defeated her Jewish Republican challenger, Bruce Blakeman. Pennsylvania elected a left-wing congressman calling for a full arms embargo on Israel, while New Jersey sent a former military doctor who treated wounded Palestinians in Gaza to Congress. In South Carolina, pediatrician Annie Andrews pulled off a stunning upset over Darline Graham, the Trump-backed sister of Senator Lindsey Graham, becoming the state's first Democratic senator in 28 years and its first female senator. Meanwhile, voters in Providence, Rhode Island, overwhelmingly approved a ballot measure, with 75% support, calling on the city to divest from countries accused of 'ethnic cleansing, apartheid, illegal military occupation, or genocide' — widely seen as targeting Israel. Separately, President Trump said the United States will end its $4 billion annual aid package to Israel, claiming he struck the deal with Prime Minister Netanyahu months ago, though the timing remains unclear. Analysts have pointed to three looming challenges for Israel stemming from the results: Trump's evolving Iran strategy, a Democratic-controlled Congress, and the shifting dynamics ahead of the 2028 presidential race. In related diplomatic news, China's foreign ministry said Beijing is ready to deepen dialogue with Saudi Arabia and Iran over regional tensions in the Gulf and Middle East.

Politics

Opposition leader Yair Lapid declared that any prospect of a unity government under Benjamin Netanyahu has been 'completely eliminated', citing the US midterm results alongside reported remarks attributed to former IDF chief Herzi Halevi (Zini). Lapid argued Israel 'cannot afford' to keep Netanyahu as prime minister, while Yair Golan warned of a looming 'blue wave' of international sanctions, isolation and friction with Washington, calling Netanyahu 'dangerous for Israel'. Within the so-called 'change bloc', coalition negotiations remain fraught: Gadi Eisenkot appears on track to receive the president's mandate to form a government, but potential partners, including Naftali Bennett and Avigdor Liberman, are reportedly imposing conditions and narrowing his room for manoeuvre even before talks formally begin. Disputes over the inclusion of Haredi parties, demands from Arab parties, and the battle for control of the Knesset threaten to complicate efforts to assemble a 48-seat coalition that has promised to replace Netanyahu, establish a state commission of inquiry into the October 7th failures, implement universal conscription, and form a 'Zionist' government. Separately, the Central Elections Committee formally announced that its oversight operation found no evidence of breaches to electoral integrity or any impact on results, following accusations from Likud and Shas of a 'stolen election' and a sharp exchange with the Attorney General's office over remarks by the Shin Bet chief. Both Likud and Shas abstained from the vote to certify the results, amid heated exchanges during the session. The Shin Bet separately informed the Elections Committee that intelligence points to large sums of money being funnelled into Israel from foreign sources with covert, and in some cases hostile, interests seeking to influence the vote, warning the phenomenon could involve thousands of people or more.

Security

The Shin Bet and police arrested a senior activist from the Balad party in Tel Aviv on suspicion of security offences. Balad chairman Sami Abu Shehadeh condemned the arrest as a 'grave crime', alleging it formed part of an attempt by Prime Minister Netanyahu to influence the elections. Elsewhere, explosive-laden drones struck targets belonging to Iranian-Kurdish opposition groups near Sulaymaniyah and east of Erbil in northern Iraq, according to security sources.

Other Developments

Israeli football officials are preparing to file a formal complaint with UEFA against the Republic of Ireland over comments made by the national team's manager describing events in Gaza as 'genocide', as well as anthem protests by players and the treatment of Israeli journalists at matches. In the UK, a rabbi identified as Aaron (also known as Chaim) Halpern, 68, has been accused of sexually assaulting a woman who had sought religious guidance from him, allegedly locking her in a room above a synagogue in his home. Britain's Supreme Court began a two-day hearing on an appeal against the government's ban on Palestine Action, with the group's co-founder arguing that only three of 385 actions carried out over five years were assessed as meeting the definition of terrorism. In the Negev, a dispute has intensified over hundreds of allegedly illegal structures in a Bedouin town, with the Land Enforcement Authority citing dozens of administrative orders carried out and Bedouin authorities reporting hundreds of settlement agreements, while landowners present documentation suggesting construction on the roughly 600-dunam site has in fact expanded.

Sources: Ynet, Walla, www.israelhayom.co.il, Times of Israel, Jerusalem Post