Lapid says Netanyahu now toxic to US lawmakers who backed Israel
Lapid says the number of senators voting to curb arms shipments to Israel rose from 11 to 40 in two years.
Benjamin Netanyahu has become toxic to US lawmakers who once backed Israel, Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid said on Wednesday, Turkey's state-run news agency Anadolu Agency reported.
Lapid made the claim in a post on X, the US social media platform, after Democrats won control of both chambers of Congress in Tuesday's midterm elections.
He said Israel is losing ground with lawmakers who still regard it as a strategic partner but reject Netanyahu and his government's policies.
Lapid estimated that about 25 of the 435 House members are firmly opposed to Israel, along with fewer than 10 percent of senators.
He said the larger worry is a growing number of senators outside that group who are willing to vote for limits on arms shipments.
Lapid said 11 senators voted to restrict arms shipments to Israel two years ago, a figure he put at 27 a year ago and 40 in April.
Lapid wrote that these lawmakers oppose settler violence and a government they do not understand, adding that "above all, they oppose Netanyahu."
Lapid said Netanyahu broke with Israel's long-standing practice of working with both US parties when he addressed Congress in 2015 to oppose then-President Barack Obama's Iran policy.
He urged Israel's next government to meet lawmakers from both parties during its first visit to Washington.
The Democratic wins end Republican control of Congress and give Democrats greater sway over legislation and congressional oversight.
Lapid, a former prime minister, leads the opposition in Israel's parliament.
