U.S. Democrats on Capitol Hill expressed mixed feelings on Friday after Israel's election results were announced, noting a strong voter turnout, a drop in support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and the potential role of retired Gen. Gadi Eisenkot in any future coalition.
Eisenkot is viewed as more moderate on Israeli-Palestinian issues, including pledges to curb settler violence in the West Bank, a stance that aligns with many congressional Democrats.
"I hope it bodes well for a coalition, a governing coalition, who reject some of what I find are the most grievous errors of Netanyahu's time," Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.), senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said by phone.
Nevertheless, Democrats remain uneasy because no party secured the 61 seats required to command the 120-seat Knesset, and they highlighted the stark national divisions reflected by an election seen as a referendum on Netanyahu after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack.
"One of the signs is that there's anything but unity in Israel, and so where do they go from here?" Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.), a vocal congressional ally of Israel, said. "Only time will tell."
Schneider described Eisenkot as a more reasonable partner, citing his commitment to curb West Bank settler violence.
"What they are doing is a threat to peace, and I think Eisenkot is more committed to thwarting that, and squashing it," Schneider added. "That's a critical thing."
Progressive Democrats worry that, despite Eisenkot's break from Netanyahu on settler violence and calls for a deeper Oct. 7 investigation, both candidates oppose a Palestinian state, a position many Democrats deem essential for a lasting peace.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) has long championed an autonomous Palestinian state as the only path to a durable accord. His influence is expected to grow as Democrats are projected to control the House next year, positioning Jeffries for the Speaker's gavel.
Jeffries is promising a vote on a bill that would sanction anyone involved in West Bank violence and bar them from entering the United States; the measure is backed by 175 House Democrats.
Rep. Dean, one of the sponsors, said the party should "absolutely" pass the bill if it wins the House. "America needs to lead," she said. "We need to have our voices heard, and we can't count on [Israeli leaders]. We have to have some moral courage and authority to say, 'No more.' This is a series of wrongs, including killing, that we must absolutely, loudly, condemn."
The Tuesday election was the first since the Oct. 7 Hamas assault that killed roughly 1,200 people and abducted 250.
Final results released Friday gave Netanyahu's bloc 53 seats, Eisenkot's bloc 48 seats, and Arab parties 19 seats.
Democrats cheered the erosion of Netanyahu's support, which fell from nearly 70 seats before the vote. "That was the Israeli people saying, 'We want something different,'" Schneider said. "No one in Israel wants to sacrifice their security, that's true whether they're Jewish or Muslim. They all want their kids to grow up in safety and security."
"But I think they want a change in direction from this government, which is unquestionably the most extreme government in Israel's history," he added, noting a drift away from that direction in the vote.
The next steps remain unclear as bloc leaders are expected to meet behind closed doors to try to reach the 61-seat threshold. Possible outcomes include a unity government between Netanyahu and Eisenkot, or an alliance of Eisenkot's group with Arab parties. Failure to form a coalition would trigger another election.
In Washington, Democrats' stance toward Israel will likely hinge on the composition of the eventual coalition and its handling of settler violence. "The actions the next government takes to address the extremist violence will most certainly affect how we look at either supporting the actions they're taking, or putting pressure on [them] to take further action," Schneider said.
Dean said she is encouraged by the Arab parties' 19 seats, a historic high, hoping their voices will temper the emerging leadership.
The debate may also be shaped by incoming liberal lawmakers affiliated with the Democratic Socialists of America, who have been sharply critical of Israel's human-rights record toward Palestinians.
Dean noted a broader shift in Congress toward questioning Netanyahu after the Gaza war, which has caused over 70,000 deaths. "People were slow to separate Mr. Netanyahu from our love and support for Israel," she said. "But I think we are well on our way, and I hope new members come in and help us make that argument in an even more robust way."
