California Governor Gavin Newsom on Saturday called for restrictions on American military assistance to Israel, arguing that conditioning aid is increasingly becoming a consensus position within the Democratic Party.
Speaking to the Washington Examiner while campaigning in New Hampshire ahead of a possible 2028 presidential bid, Newsom criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's policies and recent violence in Judea and Samaria.
"Aid has to be conditioned," Newsom said, arguing that Netanyahu's approach has undermined prospects for a two-state solution.
"Bibi Netanyahu has done a remarkable job of really isolating himself from the rest of the world and increasingly from the American people," the California governor charged, adding that "the damage he's done is incalculable."
Newsom also characterized Israel's military campaign against Hamas in Gaza as a "moral catastrophe."
However, he did not identify which categories of American military assistance he believes should be subject to conditions, acknowledging the distinction between defensive systems such as Iron Dome and offensive weapons.
His comments reflect growing opposition among Democratic lawmakers to providing Israel with military assistance without restrictions.
In the spring, a majority of Senate Democrats voted to block a weapons sale to Israel. More than 100 House Democrats subsequently opposed a separate measure in July, though the measure was overwhelmingly defeated.
Newsom has criticized Netanyahu on several previous occasions while also expressing support for Israel.
In 2023, he visited Israel and met with survivors of the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack.
In March, the governor expressed regret over his earlier description of Israel as an "apartheid state," calling the remark a "regret."
Newsom is frequently mentioned as a possible Democratic presidential candidate in 2028, although he said last month that he would not enter the race if former Vice President Kamala Harris decided to run.
Harris has confirmed that she is actively considering another presidential campaign and has also become increasingly critical of Israel's conduct in Gaza.
Last week, speaking at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies in Seoul, South Korea, Harris accused both the Biden administration, in which she served as Vice President, and the Trump administration of failing to use American influence to restrain Israeli military operations.
“Most recently, the failure to use our leverage to curtail the Israeli government’s horrific conduct in the war in Gaza, both under the current administration, which offers [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu a blank check, and our administration before, where we should have acted sooner and more forcefully," Harris said.
Her criticism extended to the Biden administration's response to the war, arguing that Washington should have applied greater pressure on Israel at an earlier stage.
In April, Harris also accused Netanyahu of drawing President Donald Trump into the war with Iran, linking American involvement in the conflict to higher fuel prices.
"Trump entered a war - and he got pulled into it by Bibi Netanyahu, let's be clear about that - that the American people didn't want. Among the many consequences of it is jacking up the price of gas," she said.
Harris previously faced controversy over her remarks concerning Israel during the 2024 presidential campaign.
At an October 2024 event at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, an anti-Israel protester accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza.
After the protester was removed, Harris appeared to acknowledge the accusation while addressing the audience.
“Listen, what he’s talking about, it’s real. That’s not the subject that I came to discuss today, but it’s real and I respect his voice," she said.