Blue Tsunami, Israeli Stalemate: Netanyahu Loses Washington

Two elections, a week apart — one a blue tsunami, the other far less decisive. Two days after the Democrats swept the midterms, Yonit and Jonathan ask what the result means for an Israel that voted against Netanyahu's government without quite repudiating him. JD Vance names the US relationship with Israel as one of four reasons his party lost, Trump announces an end to aid on election morning, and Yair Lapid and newly-elected Democratic congressman Brad Lander argue it out on X — so is a Netanyahu-free government now a strategic necessity and would a friendlier face even be enough? At home: Herzog's consultations, the 48-seat minority government spoken of in whispers around Gadi Eisenkot, and the Shin Bet chief's bid to question Arab lawmakers without evidence. Plus a Chutzpah award for a serial winner in a hard hat, and a Mensch nominee whose new job has nothing to do with trains. 00:00:00 Intro: two elections, one week apart 00:01:28 The blue tsunami and Israel: a repudiation of Trump, not of Netanyahu 00:11:43 What a moderate Democrat means now: Talarico, Vance's four reasons 00:13:10 Yair Lapid versus Brad Lander on X 00:19:07 Trump as a cornered animal: the Iran question 00:21:56 Obama's aid and Trump's cut: the Netanyahu bookends 00:24:26 Charisma: Ossoff, Talarico, Shapiro and Eisenkot 00:27:41 Israeli headlines: certification, Herzog's consultations, UTJ 00:31:51 The 48-seat minority government scenario 00:37:58 David Zini, the Shin Bet and the Attorney General; the Abu Shehadeh arrest 00:45:27 Chutzpah and Mensch of the Week 🌐 Our website: https://unholy-podcast.com 💛 Become a friend of the pod: Patreon: https://bit.ly/UnholyPatreon 📺 FOLLOW UNHOLY YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGlvtS7As7WHh7YtmU5SMUQ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unholypodcast/ X: https://x.com/unholypod Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/unholypod.bsky.social 🎧 LISTEN TO UNHOLY Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/il/podcast/unholy-two-jews-on-the-news/id1548441108 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2m2UnLfiAyOehtF1bsv98W 🎙️ THE HOSTS Yonit Levi Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yonitleviofficial/ X: https://x.com/LeviYonit LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yonit-levi/ Jonathan Freedland Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jonathanfreedland/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/jonathanfreedland.bsky.social 📩 Contact: [email protected] 🔗 All links: https://linktr.ee/unholypod Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.