A political ad linking higher grocery and gas prices to US aid for Israel's war has triggered accusations of anti-Semitism, but defenders say the underlying numbers are accurate and the backlash proves the point.

• A Michigan congressional candidate's ad shows a family cutting groceries to cover their share of a new $26 billion Israel aid package, framed as roughly $161 per taxpayer.
• Critics, including pro-Israel groups and some media, call the ad anti-Semitic for tying rising prices to Israel funding; supporters say every fact in it, the aid total, the per-person cost, and higher gas and diesel prices tied to the Iran conflict, is accurate and undisputed.
• Polling cited shows most Israelis favor removing Palestinians from Gaza, and a majority of Americans, including most Jewish Americans, now hold an unfavorable view of Israel's government or believe it has committed war crimes.
• The fight highlights a bigger political shift: more candidates are now willing to publicly question US financial support for Israel despite risking "anti-Semite" accusations.

Outlook: Expect similar ads and funding criticism to keep surfacing ahead of the midterms as rising living costs amplify public pushback on foreign aid spending.