The North Carolina Democratic Party’s recent call for an arms embargo against Israel isn’t just a reckless policy misstep—it’s a betrayal of decades of Democratic leadership that has stood firmly beside America’s most reliable ally in the Middle East.
From President Harry Truman’s recognition of Israel in 1948 to the strategic military and diplomatic support provided by Presidents Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and Joe Biden, Democrats have long championed Israel’s right to defend itself against terrorism and aggression. The resolution adopted by the party’s executive committee throws aside that proud tradition. It undermines U.S. credibility, alienates a vital segment of the Democratic base, and signals to both friends and foes that one of our closest allies may no longer count on bipartisan support from the party that helped shape that very alliance.
American Jews remain overwhelmingly Democratic and supportive of Israel. A 2019 Gallup poll found that while 90% of U.S. Jews lean Democratic, an overwhelming 95% also have favorable views of Israel, while only 10% expressed favorable views of the Palestinian Authority. This resolution flies in the face of that reality and risks alienating one of the party’s most steadfast constituencies.
Under Biden, U.S. military aid to Israel was both swift and substantial. After Hamas launched its brutal assault on Israeli civilians on Oct. 7, 2023, Biden responded by greenlighting more than 100 arms transfers and spearheading more than $12 billion in emergency military assistance. This included thousands of precision-guided munitions, artillery shells and critical interceptors for the Iron Dome missile-defense system. In an extraordinary step, the Washington even leased two of its Iron Dome batteries back to Israel to help meet immediate defense needs.
Beyond crisis response, Biden faithfully upheld the Obama-era memorandum that provides $3.8 billion annually in defense aid to Israel. He also advanced a major sale of up to 50 F-15 fighter jets—worth nearly $18 billion—and continued robust funding for missile-defense systems like David’s Sling and the Arrow defense system.
Obama signed the largest military aid package in U.S. history for any foreign country when, in 2016, he finalized a $38 billion Memorandum of Understanding to cover 2019 to 2028. This included $33 billion in Foreign Military Financing and $5 billion specifically for missile defense—a clear affirmation of Israel’s right to defend itself in a volatile region. Under Obama, Israel became the first foreign country to receive the advanced F-35 fighter jet, and U.S. contributions to Iron Dome exceeded $1.3 billion.
While critics sometimes remember tensions between Obama and Israel’s leadership, they often overlook the concrete ways that his administration advanced Israel’s security infrastructure at every level.
Clinton was instrumental in deepening U.S.-Israel security ties during the post-Cold War transition. In 1996 and again in 1999, his administration expanded U.S. aid packages and joint military planning efforts. He approved $1.2 billion in aid for Israel’s defense needs—from helicopters to counter-missile systems—and helped create bilateral policy forums to align both countries on threats like terrorism and weapons of mass destruction.
He also provided critical support for the Arrow missile-defense system, authorizing funds for Israel’s acquisition of a third Arrow battery—one of the most advanced anti-ballistic missile programs at the time.
Today’s calls for an arms embargo, especially during active conflict, send a dangerous signal. The North Carolina Democratic Party’s resolution arrives in the wake of the most traumatic attack on Jews since the Holocaust. To respond not with solidarity but with sanctions is both immoral and strategically unwise. U.S.-Israel military cooperation is not blind allegiance; it is a proven partnership that has saved lives on both sides of the world and advanced American security interests in the most volatile region on Earth.
Instead of promoting boycotts or embargoes, Democrats should uphold the values of past leaders: promoting peace through strength, accountability through partnership and security through shared democratic values.
There’s a better path than abandoning a key ally. Democrats at every level should reaffirm their support for Israel’s right to defend itself under international law and the continuation of conditional, monitored U.S. military aid for defensive systems like Iron Dome.
The Democratic Party has always been strongest when it remembers its roots—justice, security and solidarity with fellow democracies. North Carolina’s resolution forgets that legacy. It should be reconsidered and reversed.
