California Governor Gavin Newsom stated on Monday that condemnation of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is “almost universal” among Democrats. Newsom shared his thoughts during an interview on PBS News’s “Settle In,” where host Amna Nawaz asked him about the Democratic position on Israel, as reported by The Hill. This topic has definitely been a hot-button issue, causing divisions in important swing states like Michigan. Newsom didn’t mince words, saying, “I think it’s overwhelmingly opposed to the current regime in Israel.” When Nawaz pressed him for clarification, asking if he believed that was the party’s general view, he responded, “The condemnation of what Netanyahu is doing is almost universal. There’s no controversy within the party on that.” Newsom pointed to a couple of key reasons for this widespread condemnation. First, there’s the ongoing Israeli settler violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. Second, Netanyahu’s outright rejection of a two-state solution is a major sticking point for many. Newsom’s stance on Israel has gone through a few iterations in the recent past Newsom emphasized the party’s vision, stating, “We want a democratic and secure Israel, and we want a secure democratic Palestinian state as well, right next door, and I don’t think that’s a really divisive thing.” He went on to describe the current situation as incredibly dire, adding, “Even if you don’t think it’s a genocide, it’s a moral catastrophe how things have been conducted.” California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a potential 2028 election hopeful, says there’s overwhelming opposition among Democrats to the current regime in Israel.Newsom, who once called Israel an "apartheid state” and later walked back those comments, said “it’s not even controversial… pic.twitter.com/GGUWeQdtg9— PBS News (@NewsHour) September 7, 2026 Now, it’s interesting to look at Newsom’s past comments, especially since he’s a potential contender for the 2028 presidential election. Just back in March, he compared Israel to an “apartheid state” and even suggested that the United States should “rethink” its entire relationship with Israel. But, earlier in the year, in January, he also told conservative commentator Ben Shapiro on his podcast “This is Gavin Newsom” that he was “crystal clear on my love for Israel.” The conversation also touched on the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, a major pro-Israel group. Nawaz asked if accepting donations from AIPAC was becoming a “litmus test” for candidates. Newsom confirmed that he believes there’s “pretty overwhelming opposition to accepting money from AIPAC as well.” He thinks it’s only “a minority of Democrats that are accepting AIPAC.” For his part, Newsom confirmed in February that he has never accepted money from AIPAC and absolutely won’t in the future. This strong sentiment from Newsom really reflects a broader shift in public opinion about Israel in the U.S. That change has been particularly noticeable since the Israeli government launched its military offensive in Gaza after October 7, 2023. A recent Associated Press/NORC poll really highlights this. It found that a solid 58 percent of Democrats believe the U.S. supports Israel too much. Plus, 62 percent of Democrats now say the U.S. has not supported Palestinians enough, which is a noticeable jump from 49 percent reported earlier in 2024.