NC Democrats approve resolution calling for embargo on US military support of Israel
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- NC Democrats narrowly approved a resolution opposing U.S. military aid to Israel.
- The party's Jewish Caucus criticized the resolution, citing division and antisemitism.
- Polls show Democratic support for Palestinians amid ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
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NC responds to Israel-Hamas war
Since Oct. 7, when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, the ensuing war in Gaza has had an impact around the world. In the Triangle, protesters have taken to the streets, college campuses and government meetings to call for a cease-fire, aid to Gaza and the release of hostages. Here is ongoing coverage from The News & Observer.
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North Carolina Democrats on Saturday approved a resolution calling for the federal government to end its support of Israel’s military in the ongoing war in Gaza.
A spokesperson for the N.C. Democratic Party confirmed to The News & Observer that the measure passed by a slim margin at the party’s state executive committee meeting Saturday in Asheville, but said a vote count was not immediately available.
The state executive committee consists of hundreds of members from across North Carolina, per the party’s organization plan.
An Instagram account that identified its owner as Ryan Wang, president of the Durham Progressive Democrats, also posted that the resolution passed.
The vote and the rhetoric leading up to Saturday’s vote showed signs of disagreement on the issue among party members, with the party’s Jewish Caucus calling the resolution — and other measures voted on Saturday that were related to Israel — “troubling.”
The resolution argued that the resources, including weapons and other military aid, that the United States has provided Israel “have been used to commit the crime of genocide and other war crimes in Gaza.”
“The billions in annual tax payer funds provided to Israel as military aid would be better used to address the needs of Americans in the United States,” the resolution read.
President Donald Trump has made U.S. support of Israel a key focus since returning to office in January. In March, Secretary of State Marco Rubio in March reversed a partial arms embargo that was in place under former President Joe Biden and ordered approximately $4 billion in military aid to Israel. Rubio said at the time that the Trump administration had approved nearly $12 billion for Israel in major foreign military sales, in which foreign governments purchase U.S. arms and other military equipment.
Last week, Trump ordered U.S. military attacks on Iran, which is involved in an ongoing conflict with Israel.
Supporters of the North Carolina Democrats’ resolution said the move was in line with Democratic views on the Israel-Hamas war and the U.S. role in the conflict, as reflected in polling.
For instance, the resolution cited a March Gallup poll that showed more Democrats who were surveyed sympathized with Palestinians (59%) over Israelis (21%) in the war. Additionally, some polls taken last year, including one by CBS News and YouGov, showed a majority of Democrats surveyed believed the U.S. should not provide military aid to Israel.
“It’s time for the Party to take a clear and morally consistent position on this,” Alan Smith, a lead sponsor of the resolution, said in a statement ahead of the vote.
Jewish Caucus called for unity ahead of vote
But not everyone in the party agreed.
The North Carolina Democratic Party’s Jewish Caucus issued a statement Wednesday saying its members had worked for months “to promote a balanced, inclusive approach to complex international issues, particularly the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, while encouraging a broader focus on the values and priorities that unite North Carolina Democrats.”
“Unfortunately, those efforts have been met with resistance throughout the party’s resolutions process,” the statement read.
Lisa Jewel, president of the Jewish Caucus, cited recent attacks against Jewish people and supporters of Israel in Boulder, Colorado, and Washington to call for unity among Democrats. The resolutions considered Saturday, Jewel argued in a statement, are “wedge issues that, ultimately, would result in harm to our friends and family.”
Jewel noted that the caucus is “not a monolith in how we practice Judaism, or how we engage with Israel.”
Saturday’s vote came about 18 months after North Carolina Democrats officially recognized the Jewish Caucus as an affiliated organization of the party. An initial vote to recognize the caucus narrowly failed, drawing criticism at the state and national levels. Party leaders attributed the failed vote to procedural issues.
Ken Martin, chair of the Democratic National Committee, told The N&O this week that he didn’t “know much about” the resolution. But he said part of the “beauty” of the party is that its members view issues differently.
“That’s our greatest strength, is our diversity of thought, that we are a big tent,” Martin said. “And sometimes people view it as a weakness. I don’t.”
The embargo resolution also received criticism from the state Republican Party, which issued a statement saying the move was evidence that Democrats are “building a constituency of antisemitism.”
This story was originally published June 28, 2025 at 7:49 PM with the headline "NC Democrats approve resolution calling for embargo on US military support of Israel."
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