DNC Meeting Exposes Internal Fight Over Israel, Aid Limits and AIPAC
At the Democratic National Committee’s spring meeting in New Orleans, the DNC Resolutions Committee held test votes Thursday on contentious measures to recognize a Palestinian state, place conditions on U.S. military aid to Israel, and formally criticize the 'growing influence' of AIPAC and other dark-money groups in Democratic primaries. The two resolutions dealing with conditioning aid and recognizing a Palestinian state were punted to the party’s Middle East Working Group, while the anti-AIPAC resolution was voted down after members instead passed a broader resolution against all dark-money spending. The clash highlights a widening rift between DNC leaders generally supportive of Israel and a growing progressive base sharply critical of Israel’s Gaza campaign and the recent U.S.–Israeli war with Iran, with one DNC member calling the resolutions 'problematic' and warning of divisive debates. The meeting comes as new Pew and NBC polling show Democratic views of Israel have turned overwhelmingly negative since 2022, with roughly 80% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents now holding unfavorable views. Those numbers, amplified heavily on social media by pro-Palestinian activists and critics of AIPAC, are intensifying pressure on party leadership to revisit long-standing positions on military aid and the role of pro-Israel money in primaries ahead of the 2026 midterms and 2028 presidential race.
📌 Key Facts
- Location and timing: DNC spring meeting in New Orleans, with Resolutions Committee action on Thursday.
- Aid and Palestine resolutions: Measures to condition U.S. military aid to Israel and to recognize a Palestinian state were referred to the DNC’s Middle East Working Group rather than adopted or rejected outright.
- AIPAC resolution: A resolution targeting the 'growing influence' of AIPAC and other dark-money groups was defeated after the committee approved a broader anti–dark-money resolution instead.
- Polling shift: A Pew poll this week found 80% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents now hold unfavorable views of Israel, up nearly 30 points since 2022, while an NBC poll earlier this year put Democratic negative views at 57%, up from 35% shortly after Oct. 7, 2023.
- Intra-party tension: Longtime DNC member James Zogby publicly blasted Israel’s conduct and U.S. support online, and party insiders acknowledge the resolutions are reopening deep divides just months after similar fights at the 2025 DNC summer meeting.
📊 Relevant Data
Among Democrats, unfavorable views of Israel are particularly high among younger voters, with 75% of those aged 18-29 holding unfavorable opinions compared to 50% of those aged 65 and older, according to a 2026 Pew Research poll.
US views of Israel, Netanyahu more negative in 2026, especially among young people — Pew Research Center
Black Democrats have shown a significant shift, with 68% expressing unfavorable views of Israel in 2026, up from 45% in 2022, compared to 55% among White Democrats, per Gallup polling data.
Israelis No Longer Ahead in Americans' Middle East Sympathies — Gallup
AIPAC and affiliated groups spent over $45 million in the 2024 election cycle, the highest by any organization, targeting progressive Democrats in primaries.
Report: AIPAC Spent a Record Amount on the 2024 Election — The New Republic
The U.S. has provided Israel with over $21.7 billion in military aid since October 2023, in addition to long-term commitments totaling more than $300 billion since 1948 when adjusted for inflation.
U.S. Military Aid and Arms Transfers to Israel, October 2023 — Costs of War Project, Brown University
The Democratic voter base has become more racially diverse, with non-White voters comprising 40% in 2024 compared to 35% in 2020, including increases in Hispanic and Asian American shares.
Changing demographics of US voters and Republican, Democratic coalitions — Pew Research Center
Pro-Israel groups, including AIPAC, contributed over $230 million to candidates since 2020, with significant portions going to Democratic members of Congress.
The Trump Administration — Track AIPAC — Track AIPAC
As of February 2026, over 75,000 people have been reported killed in the Gaza war, including more than 73,000 Palestinians, according to verified estimates.
Casualties of the Gaza war — Wikipedia
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