Washington, D.C. — Today, Israeli voters delivered a setback to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in national elections, with exit polls projecting that Netanyahu will lose his parliamentary majority. In response, Damian Murphy, senior vice president for National Security and International Policy at the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement:
If the exit polls are accurate, this election appears to be a rebuke of Netanyahu, and General Gadi Eisenkot should consider working with all opposition parties to form a new government. While the final composition of a new Israeli government remains to be decided, it will be incumbent on any new government to demonstrate its commitment to the values of democracy, security, and equal rights for Israelis and Palestinians alike. The elections come at a critical juncture in U.S.-Israeli relations, when Israel’s international standing is at an all-time low. To avoid further deterioration or even a full rupture in relations with the United States, Israel’s next government must chart a new path.
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