Democratic group offers a new framework for the US-Israel relationship
as party rifts deepen
[October 02, 2026]
By STEVEN SLOAN
WASHINGTON (AP) — A pro-Israel Democratic advocacy group on Thursday
released a framework intended to help the party better articulate its
vision for the U.S. relationship with Israel, an issue that has deeply
fractured Democrats this year and could lead to further divisions
heading into the next presidential campaign.
Democratic Majority for Israel is calling on the party to continue
providing security and military assistance to the country while
supporting a negotiated path to statehood for both Israelis and
Palestinians and a future for Gaza that doesn't include Hamas.
It notably does not insist on unyielding support for Israel,
acknowledging that “Israel’s security does not require support for every
decision made by an Israeli government.” The document also calls on
Israel to “act decisively against settler threats, intimidation, and
violence.”
The framework is being released at a sensitive moment for Democrats
following a primary season in which voters from New York to Michigan
embraced candidates who backed positions including ending military aid
to Israel. If Democrats retake control of the U.S. House or Senate in
next month's elections, these candidates could play a significant role
in shaping the debate over America's posture toward Israel.
The issue could also play a prominent role in the early stages of the
next presidential campaign, which could begin shortly after the
midterms.
Democratic Majority for Israel's chief executive, Brian Romick, said his
goal is to provide a “helpful guide for our mainstream Democratic
candidates on how to engage with a complicated issue.”
“It's important to remind Democrats and Americans that there's value in
the U.S.-Israel relationship,” he said. “We thought it was important to
kind of lay out a forward-looking vision.”
The question is whether such a framework will go very far in shaping the
views of Democrats, who are increasingly skeptical of Israel.
About 58% of Democrats said the U.S. is “too supportive” of the
Israelis, according to a June survey by The Associated Press-NORC Center
for Public Affairs Research, up from 45% in January 2024. Roughly half
of Democrats believe that Israel has committed genocide against
Palestinians during the war with Hamas, an accusation Israel rejects.
Former Obama administration chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, who has argued
Democrats need to return to the political center ahead of launching a
potential presidential bid, went to Israel in July and delivered a
blistering speech warning the country was at risk of becoming a
“territorial pariah.” He specifically called out Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu, who has closely aligned himself with President Donald Trump,
a Republican.
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Pedestrians are silhouetted against a projection of the American
flag on the walls of Jerusalem's Old City, July 5, 2026, displayed
in honor of the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence. (AP Photo/Ohad
Zwigenberg, File)
Emanuel, who's also a former congressman, Chicago mayor and U.S.
ambassador, blamed Netanyahu for driving Israel to a “dead end,”
emboldened by poor decisions from American leaders.
The framework from Democratic Majority for Israel takes a less
strident view on Netanyahu, who faces another election this month.
“Support for Israel,” the group argued, “transcends any one Israeli
government.”
The group took a similarly long view on military and security
assistance for Israel, arguing it shouldn't be stopped now even as
it acknowledged the possibility of change in the future.
“Over time, and by mutual agreement, today’s partnership should be
capable of evolving beyond the traditional assistance framework
toward an increasingly reciprocal relationship centered on joint
investment, innovation, and technological advantage,” the framework
reads. “The objective should be to build the partnership both
countries will need to confront the threats and seize the
opportunities of the coming decades.”
In a statement, Emanuel said the framework “is right to put regional
stability, Israel’s security, and Palestinian self-determination in
the same conversation.”
“None succeeds on its own,” he said. “The next step is to make the
Arab states full partners in building a credible path to Palestinian
sovereignty and Israeli security — and to be clear that America’s
support for Israel does not mean silence when its government makes
choices that undermine both.”
Daniel Shapiro, the former U.S. ambassador to Israel under President
Barack Obama, acknowledged “strong, passionate views” over the
relationship between the two countries.
“Clearly, not everyone will agree with every aspect” of the
framework, he said. “But I think there’s a lot there that many
Democrats would find speaks to them.”
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