Israel Caught in US Election Controversy Over Aid Funding

With two days remaining until the US elections, Israel has become embroiled in accusations of "interference" in the process. The midterm elections are seen as a referendum on President Donald Trump's performance, and a Republican loss of either or both houses of Congress would significantly limit the president's policy-making ability in his final two years in office. Republicans currently hold 218 seats in the House of Representatives to the Democrats' 214, and 53 seats in the Senate compared to 47. In the event of a tie in the Senate, the Vice President would cast the deciding vote.

President Trump is scheduled to hold rallies in Kansas and Iowa, states where Senate races are particularly close. In Kansas, Republican Senator Roger Marshall trails Democrat Adam Hamilton by 2.6 percentage points. In Iowa, Republican Ashley Hinson holds a slim 0.5-point lead over Democrat Josh Tuck.

Significant divisions within the Democratic Party have emerged in Michigan, where Abdul El-Sayed is competing against Republican Mike Rogers for a Senate seat. El-Sayed, a Muslim representing the party's progressive wing and a vocal critic of Israel, narrowly won the Democratic primary against the pro-Israel moderate Congresswoman Haley Stevens by less than one percentage point. Stevens had received support from the pro-Israel organization AIPAC. Following her loss, Stevens urged her supporters to back El-Sayed, but their relationship has recently deteriorated. El-Sayed's opponent, Republican Mike Rogers, has gained support from Stevens' fiancé, Jason Turkiish. Furthermore, Stevens herself appeared on CNN demanding that El-Sayed's campaign condemn hateful rhetoric and improve relations with Jewish and Black voters.

Adding to the controversy is a Democratic campaign advertisement that links US aid to Israel to the financial struggles of American families. The ad depicts a couple cutting back on groceries, with the wife explaining that the family must save seven dollars, which she claims is being used to fund the killing of Palestinians. She asserts that the US provides billions to Israel for its war in Gaza, burdening American taxpayers. When the husband mentions Israel's national healthcare system, the wife sarcastically suggests Americans are also paying for that. The ad concludes with the husband abandoning the purchase of eggs and bananas.

The advertisement has sparked considerable debate in the United States. Separately, political uncertainty in Israel following the 26th Knesset elections has drawn international attention, with global powers analyzing the potential impact of coalition-building delays on the war with Iran, the post-war arrangement in Gaza, and future relations with Palestinian Arabs, as Netanyahu and Eisenkot attempt to form a government.