The Politics of Israel and the Palestinians and Talking Points for Democrats

Background

For decades, Democratic office holders and voters were mostly unified in their backing of Israel, with less focus on the plight of Palestinians. But for the last few years, that dynamic has shifted. For a time after October 7, there was a spike in sympathy for Israel. But during the Gaza War, support for Israel, especially among Democrats, declined precipitously:

• Sympathy: As recently as 2021, Democratic voters were a bit more sympathetic toward Israelis than Palestinians. In 2022, support was even, but by 2025, it was 21-59% in favor of Palestinians.¹ Democrats affirm Israel’s right to exist (85%)² and acknowledge the persecution of Jews and the need for a strong Jewish state for safety (67%),³ while holding critical views of Israel’s government⁴ and its treatment of Palestinians.⁵ Only a small minority (20%) fully support the Israeli actions as necessary for security.⁶
  
  Public research from September 2025 shows similar patterns. Democrats were substantially more likely to say they are extremely or very concerned (72%) about Israeli military strikes killing Palestinian civilians in Gaza,⁷ and most Democrats (60%) say the Israeli government has gone too far,⁸ up 15 points since December 2023. But this research did not distinguish between support for Israel and support for the Netanyahu government.
• Conditioning Aid: A September 2025 Third Way poll of likely Democratic primary voters found that 56% support “conditioning aid to Israel by putting restrictions on how the aid can be used,” including 65% of self-identified moderates.⁹
• Demographic Shifts: Anyone experiencing coverage of the war on social media would see Israelis as the perpetrators of atrocities. For example, “for every pro-Israel post that appeared on TikTok in September 2025 there were roughly 17 supporting Palestinians,” according to Cybersecurity for Democracy.¹⁰ For these and other reasons, just 23% of 18-to-29 year olds support economic and military aid for Israel.¹¹

Given these changes in public opinion, moderates running for office must chart a careful path. Defining oneself simply as “pro-Israel” won’t work anymore. But these issues matter enormously to the US. Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East and has been a steadfast ally in a dangerous region for more than 60 years. It is a safe haven for Jews at a time of rising global antisemitism. And Israel is the largest recipient of US aid (though the Israeli government has called for phasing the aid down as Israel’s defense industry and economy have matured). As a result, its security and its conduct are both vitally important to America and Americans. And since the fate of the Palestinians is inextricably bound up in those questions, that is vital as well. 

Democratic candidates must acknowledge both the very real threats to Israel’s security and that of Jews worldwide and the profound shortcomings of the Netanyahu government. The talking points below seek to establish a principled middle ground between “Israel can do no wrong” and “anti-Zionism.”

Talking Points

The State of Israel

• Israel has a right to exist and defend itself: Israel must exist as a Jewish and democratic state with secure boundaries.¹² Calls for “Palestine to be free from the river to the sea” and “globalize the Intifada” are tantamount to demanding the end of Israel,¹³ which would risk the lives of millions and eliminate the refuge for Jews as global antisemitism rises.¹⁴ And it denies a key piece of the identity of millions of American Jews.
• “Anti-Zionism” is too often a mask for antisemitism: Antisemitism has been skyrocketing on both right and left, often under the guise of “anti-Zionism.”¹⁵ And it’s global, as is clear from the UN resolution equating Zionism with racism.¹⁶ Left-wing antisemites should get the same firm rebuff and contempt as right-wing “groypers.”
• The current Israeli government is terrible: Netanyahu has presided over a disastrous government. He is credibly charged with corruption.¹⁷ And, like Trump, he has supported attacks on the judicial system¹⁸ and the press¹⁹ and has fired independent government gatekeepers.²⁰ Worse, he has included in his senior ranks extremists who have called for violence against Palestinians.²¹ But like America under Trump, a dreadful government doing horrible things is not an excuse for demonizing an entire nation.

Gaza and the West Bank

• Hamas started the war and committed hideous war crimes: The war in Gaza was started by Hamas, a terrorist organization. On 10/7, they perpetrated the deadliest, most barbaric attack on Jews since the Holocaust.²² Hamas committed further war crimes by using sexual violence as a weapon of war²³ and by taking more than 250 hostages—including Americans—and using civilians as human shields.²⁴ The group murders and terrorizes its own people in the streets of Gaza.²⁵
• I will not accuse the Jewish state of genocide: While the question of whether Israel’s actions violated the precise language of the international covenant against genocide is debatable,²⁶ I believe it did not. Genocide is an intentional effort to eliminate an ethnic group. That is what is happening to the Rohingya in Myanmar. It’s what happened in Darfur and in Rwanda. And it’s what happened to Jews in the Holocaust. Mass death in war is horrible and often illegal, but it is not always genocide.²⁷²⁸
• Israel is credibly accused of violating the laws of war in Gaza, and the civilian suffering there was—and remains—unacceptable: While Israel had the right to respond militarily, the war went too far and relief for civilians has been too slow.²⁹ The ongoing scenes of devastation and hunger in Gaza are appalling, and the toll on civilians is indefensible.³⁰ Israel should appoint an independent commission to review the government’s conduct of the war. And while Hamas does steal some of the aid, Israel should provide immediate and substantial relief to civilians: food, shelter, medicine, fuel, and electricity as a first step in an accelerated reconstruction process. (To be sure, Israel is being held to a higher standard than states that have committed crimes against civilians in wartime. But as a democracy, an ally, and our biggest aid recipient, Israel should be able to meet that standard.)
• The Netanyahu government must not annex or reoccupy Gaza or the West Bank, and it must stop the violence: Palestinians willing to live peacefully with Israel should take the lead in governing Gaza. And the Palestinian Authority (PA), however imperfect, must continue to run the West Bank. I strongly oppose annexation, which the Knesset has endorsed,³¹ because it would be bad for both Palestinians and Israelis. And I oppose all violence in the West Bank, from either side.³² I call on the Netanyahu government to crack down on illegal settlements and stop offering tacit support for settler violence and on the PA to stop its tacit support for those who murder Israelis.

The United States’s Relationship to Israel and the Palestinian People

• Our partnership with Israel is vital to the United States: It is a core strategic interest to have a stable democracy in the heart of a volatile region. Israel provides us crucial intelligence and counterterrorism support on adversaries like Iran and groups like Hezbollah, and it provides vital technological innovation that helps keep us safe. It is the only place in the Middle East where LGBT people, women, and minorities are safe to live freely. Israel must be preserved as a cornerstone of US foreign and defense policy.
• Israel must use our aid responsibly: As the Obama Administration noted in its Memorandum of Understanding,³³ as the top recipient of US aid, Israel must use our weapons appropriately. I will work to ensure that the Israeli government stays within the bounds of US law.
• I oppose Donald Trump’s insane vision for Gaza: Trump’s fantasy of turning Gaza into the “Riviera of the Middle East” would require the displacement of two million Palestinians.³⁴ The idea is not only preposterous, it is a moral abomination.
• I support full regional normalization: Palestinians and Israelis must be able to live in peace and security. The best path to that end is a resolution of their conflict that involves the major players from the entire region. Israel should be able to normalize relations with all its neighbors, and they should work in partnership to build a successful Palestinian state alongside Israel.