How the fight over Israel moved into state Democratic parties

The fight over Israel has increasingly moved into state Democratic parties, with activists pushing for policy changes that predate the October 7, 2023, attacks. In June 2022, North Carolina Democrats adopted resolutions calling for targeted sanctions and conditioning U.S. aid to Israel, which evolved into an arms embargo in their party platform by 2024. Similarly, Washington Democrats have adopted an embargo, attributed rising antisemitism partly to the Israeli government, and rejected certain "forms of Zionism." Minnesota Democrats removed language identifying denial of Israel's right to exist as a form of antisemitism from a resolution.

North Carolina Governor Josh Stein, the state's first Jewish governor, publicly stated he disagreed with his party's "anti-Israel resolutions."

These developments reflect a growing trend where resolutions originating at the precinct level can become official party policy, influencing candidates and potentially the national Democratic platform.