Where Does the U.S.-Israel Relationship Go from Here?

In the days since the midterms, it has become clear that the U.S.-Israel relationship is under assault in both parties. On the left, a group of DSA-linked Democrats has been elected to Congress. Like their precursor Zohran Mamdani in New York City and led by Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan, these new members place opposition to Israel at the center of their politics. It isn’t one concern among many but the defining issue of their candidacies. El-Sayed used his graceless and vengeful victory speech to attack Israel in barely disguised language: “Michiganders, we want our taxes spent here for schools here and health care here and infrastructure here. We don’t want our money sent to do apartheid or genocide or war.”

For the first time, both the Senate and the House will have — among the majority side — dedicated opponents of all aid to Israel, including even the sale of defensive weapons. They will see moves like an end to military assistance as weak half-measures, when much more must be demanded.