Eisenkot Given Chance to Form Israeli Coalition as U.S. Ties Strain

Gadi Eisenkot, a former Israeli military chief, has been given a chance to form Israel's new governing coalition, the group of parties that would replace the government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The opportunity comes as Israel's relationship with its closest ally, the United States, is under strain.

President Donald Trump has announced that he would cut off billions of dollars in annual U.S. military aid to Israel by the end of the year. Trump also blamed Israel, in part, for Republican losses in the midterm elections, the U.S. votes for Congress, according to The New York Times.

The Times reports that many Americans have turned against Israel. They cite its military campaign in Gaza and what they see as its role in pressing for war with Iran, a conflict that led to soaring gas prices.

Changes in Congress could bring further pressure. According to the same report, Democratic control of Congress could quickly lead to sanctions, meaning government penalties that restrict trade or dealings, against violent Israeli settlers and against new settlement construction in the occupied West Bank. Lawmakers could also attach new conditions to arms sales, the transfers of weapons to a foreign government.

Michael Oren, a former Israeli ambassador to Washington who later served as deputy prime minister under Netanyahu, described the difficulty in the same reporting. He said that Israel could once turn to Congress for support in clashes with the White House, but that it no longer can. In his view, for the first time in the history of the U.S.-Israel relationship, Israel has no recourse in Washington and must start from scratch on repairing ties.