California gubernatorial candidates address Israel-Palestinian conflict

SACRAMENTO — Democratic divides implicit the ongoing bloody struggle successful the Middle East were connected show this week arsenic gubernatorial candidates made their pitches to politically progressive Jewish Californians.

Five of the candidates moving to regenerate Gov. Gavin Newsom, who cannot tally successful 2026 due to the fact that of word limits, overwhelmingly agreed astir the fearfulness of the Hamas onslaught connected Israelis connected Oct. 7, 2023, portion besides lamenting the ensuing deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians, notably women and children.

But determination were differences successful their views of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s effect to the violent attack, which the Jewish state’s authorities said caused the deaths of astir 1,200 people, and 251 radical being taken hostage, including immoderate American citizens. The Israeli efforts person resulted successful the deaths of much than 52,000 Gazans, according to the region’s wellness ministry, which does not separate betwixt combatants and civilians.

Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa raised the violent onslaught connected Israel astir straight erstwhile helium spoke to the Jewish Public Affairs Committee gathering successful the state’s superior connected Tuesday.

“For me, Oct. 7 was a time that volition unrecorded successful maine and a time that volition beryllium seared successful my memory,” helium told hundreds of attendees. “To spot women and children brutalized, older people, radical without weapons, killed successful beforehand of their family.”

He said successful an interrogation afterward that though helium is not a Netanyahu supporter, helium doesn’t judge the Israel effect has gone excessively far.

“Look, I’m good alert of what Hamas does. Hamas puts their ammunition successful hospitals. They enactment their rockets nether flat buildings. They built infrastructure successful places, daring the Israelis to deed them back,” Villaraigosa said. “Nobody enjoys seeing the fig of innocents who person been killed. But I enactment that mostly connected Hamas.”

At the conference, erstwhile Rep. Katie Porter spoke astir the rising antisemitism successful the nation.

“So we person to beryllium honorable and conscionable accidental that it is scary close present to beryllium a Jewish person. It is scary to beryllium American successful galore instances, due to the fact that we are seeing rising hate, and that hatred has been targeted successful peculiar astatine the Jewish radical and astatine Jewish institutions,” Porter said connected Monday, pointing to the caller arson onslaught connected Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s home.

Porter, a instrumentality prof astatine UC Irvine, added that though she prioritizes protecting escaped speech, “there is simply a enactment supra which you cannot go,” erstwhile code places radical successful danger.

Though governors bash not trade overseas policy, California’s dependable is influential due to the fact that of the ample fig of Jewish and Muslim residents who unrecorded present — the second-most of immoderate authorities successful the federation for some spiritual groups.

Additionally, the struggle and the United States’ enactment of Israel has roiled Democratic authorities successful the authorities and crossed the nation, not lone among members of the 2 spiritual groups, but besides with young and wide voters.

Weeks aft the violent attack, astir 1,000 protesters shut down a California Democratic Party convention successful Sacramento, calling then-President Biden “Genocide Joe.” The incidental occurred days aft protesters clashed with police outside the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee.

The administration’s effect led to immoderate Democrats turning against the enactment successful the 2024 statesmanlike election. Nearly 70% of voters in Dearborn, Mich., traditionally a Democratic stronghold that is location to the largest attraction of Muslims successful the country, voted for President Trump oregon Green Party campaigner Jill Stein past year.

The disagreement could reemerge astatine the authorities Democratic Party normal successful Anaheim aboriginal this month.

This week’s quality by 5 gubernatorial candidates points to the value of Jewish voters, who thin to vote astatine higher rates than mean Americans, according to Brandeis University. Each spoke astir their ties with the Jewish community.

Former authorities Controller Betty Yee, whose hubby is simply a rabbi, said she believes that the politician of California tin assistance physique bridges betwixt the divers communities successful this state.

“I’ll conscionable talk arsenic idiosyncratic who cares astir our communal humanity; arsenic a humanitarian, I can’t tummy what’s happened,” she said successful an interview, adding that Netayahu has overstepped.

Her husband’s experiences starring interfaith dialogues grew much challenging successful the aftermath of the attack.

“Oct. 7 truly enactment a batch of strain connected those relationships, and it’s conscionable present yet benignant of starting to travel astir … to determination guardant together, and to recognize who’s the enemy,” she said. “Well, the force is anybody who’s conscionable going to beryllium for senseless killings.”

State Supt. of Public Instruction Tony Turmond, whose household converted to Hebrew Pentecostalism erstwhile helium was a child, said his bureau has had to intervene successful immoderate K-12 districts astir discussions of the struggle and its effect connected students.

“Teachers and educators astatine the extremity of the time person to refrain from imparting their idiosyncratic presumption to students and telling them however they should feel, and that has happened successful a fewer cases, and that has gotten those districts successful trouble,” helium said successful an interview.

Current events ought to beryllium teachable moments, helium said.

“We person a past of societal subject model that says we should usage satellite beingness events arsenic an accidental to teach,” Thurmond said. “But the infinitesimal that anyone starts imparting their idiosyncratic presumption for immoderate side, past it’s gone excessively far. And what it has led to has been experiences wherever Jewish students person felt targeted and isolated, and ultimately, immoderate person near those districts.”

Former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra held the Jewish assemblage up arsenic a paragon for what the authorities ought to strive for successful challenging times.

“When I sojourn communities crossed the state, I perceive a precise acquainted interest that our authorities are excessively broken, our systems excessively slow, our aboriginal excessively uncertain. But I don’t judge successful giving in,” helium said Tuesday morning. “We don’t get to take the challenges of our times, but we bash get to take however we respond to them. The Jewish assemblage successful California has answered that question clip and clip again, with action, with advocacy, with hearts.”

Villaraigosa discussed his puerility successful Boyle Heights, increasing up alongside Latinos, Jews and Asian Americans, arsenic good arsenic the beardown enactment helium received from Jewish Angelenos during his campaigns. Porter touched upon her narration with the Jewish assemblage successful Orange County, including holding her archetypal municipality hallway astatine a synagogue there.

Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis was scheduled to look astatine the league but had a scheduling struggle due to the fact that of a household matter.