Newsom urges conditions on U.S. military assistance to Israel amid shifting Democratic stance

During a campaign stop in Manchester, New Hampshire, Governor Gavin Newsom called for U.S. military aid to Israel to be subject to explicit conditions, describing the position as the emerging consensus within the Democratic Party. He pointed to ongoing settler violence in the West Bank and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s policies as obstacles to a two-state solution, framing the matter as contrary to American interests.

Newsom referenced the moral fallout from Israel’s Gaza war and its expansion into Lebanon and the West Bank, which he termed a “moral catastrophe.” He noted that a record number of Senate Democrats and over a hundred House Democrats have recently voted against weapons sales to Israel, signaling a shift in the party’s stance. While declining to detail which weapons would be restricted, he distinguished defensive systems like Iron Dome from offensive munitions. The governor also mentioned the upcoming Israeli election on Oct. 27 as a factor that could influence U.S. policy.