By Edward-Isaac Dovere, CNN
In the latest mark of how much the conversation among Democratic leaders around Israel is shifting, California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday night blamed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for pushing the US into war with Iran and said the United States must reconsider future military aid to its longtime ally.
The governor cited those whom he has said are “talking about it appropriately as sort of an apartheid state.”
Newsom, in a live appearance on “Pod Save America” to promote his new memoir, said of Netanyahu and Iran, “In so many ways, that influence in the context of the conversation of where Trump ultimately landed on this is pretty damn self-evident.”
That sentiment from Newsom, who ranks high in early chatter about the 2028 presidential election, is becoming the norm for more top Democrats who are ramping up their criticism of Israel.
Netanyahu has dismissed claims that he pushed Trump into approving the strikes on Iran, telling Fox News this week, “That’s ridiculous. Donald Trump is the strongest leader in the world.”
Newsom and other prominent Democratic voices have expressed growing opposition to pro-Israel forces and policies. When asked if he’d accept money from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, Newsom responded last month, “Never have and never will.”
Newsom’s charge came amid a full criticism of Netanyahu for what he said was a corrupt and dishonest interest in launching the strikes on Iran.
“He’s got his own domestic issues. He’s trying to stay out of jail. He’s got an election coming up. He’s on the ropes. He’s got folks, the hard line, that want to annex the West Bank,” Newsom said. “We’re talking about regime change? For two years, they haven’t even been able to solve the Hamas question in Israel.”
Newsom said if Israel is using that military aid to draw the United States into regional wars, it’s no longer in US interests to provide it.
“It breaks my heart because the current leadership in Israel is walking us down that path where I don’t think you have a choice but to have that consideration,” he said.
The-CNN-Wire
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