The unprecedented scenes of violence in Washington on Wednesday drew a mix of shock, sadness and thinly veiled schadenfreude in the Middle East, with adversaries and allies alike condemning what many described as an assault on American democracy.
In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the rampage “a disgraceful act.” The Israeli leader, who has enjoyed a warm relationship with outgoing President Donald Trump, spoke alongside US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who was in Jerusalem.