Netanyahu rivals seize on Democrats' sweep of US Congress

JERUSALEM, Nov 4 : Benjamin Netanyahu's political rivals seized on Democrats' capture of the US Congress as proof that he had squandered generations of bipartisan American support for Israel, as they seek a chance to form a government without him.

Democrats won majorities in both the Senate and House in Tuesday's midterm election, in a scathing rebuke to President Donald Trump fuelled in part by deep frustration over the unpopular US-Israeli war on Iran. 

The US vote took place just a week after an Israeli election, when Netanyahu's right-wing coalition lost its parliamentary majority but performed well enough to deny his main opponent Gadi Eisenkot a clear path to unseat him.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog is due to hold talks on Wednesday and Thursday with party representatives before tasking one of the two men with forming the next government. Meanwhile Netanyahu remains prime minister as a caretaker. �" REUTERS