Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) evaded labeling himself as a Zionist, instead expressing support for Israel and criticizing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.
In an interview with Politico published Tuesday, Newsom was asked if he considered himself a Zionist. The California governor repeated the question and avoided answering it directly, before stating he “reveres” the state of Israel.
Asked whether he considers himself a Zionist, @GavinNewsom tells our @jmart he’s “proud” to support Israel, but “deeply, deeply” opposes Netanyahu’s leadership.
Newsom explains his Israel stance — and defends his “apartheid” comments
Full interview: https://t.co/sINA2hvbVF pic.twitter.com/NXVSFXVJot
— POLITICO (@politico) March 24, 2026
“I’m proud to support the state of Israel,” Newsom said. “I deeply, deeply oppose Bibi Netanyahu’s leadership, his opposition to the two-state solution and deeply oppose how he is indulging the far-right as it relates to what is going on in the West Bank.”
Newsom’s comments come at a challenging time for Democrats, as those within the Democratic Party further distance themselves from supporting Israel and refuse to accept donations from the pro-Israel group, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.
In addition to questions about whether Newsom considers himself a Zionist, he was also pressed on labeling Israel as an “apartheid” state in a previous interview.
Newsom said he regretted using the term, arguing he used it in reference to a column by New York Times columnist Tom Friedman.
Friedman wrote that Israel could become an “apartheid state” if Netanyahu won this year’s election in Israel because of the Iran war.
“I do in this context,” he said. “I said it, and I referenced why I used it — a Tom Friedman article — in that same sentence where Tom used it in the context of the direction that Bibi is going.”
The question was based on Newsom’s remarks while appearing on Pod Save America in early March, where Newsom was questioned about the U.S. relationship with Israel and Netanyahu.
“The issue of Bibi is interesting because he’s got his own domestic issues,” Newsom said on Pod Save America. “He’s trying to stay out of jail. He’s got an election coming up. He’s potentially on the ropes. He’s got folks, the hard line, that [want to] annex the West Bank. I mean, Friedman and others are talking about it appropriately — sort of an apartheid state.”
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Newsom agreed he didn’t believe Israel was an apartheid “in its current state” when asked.
He said he shares concerns with Friedman about the direction Netanyahu is taking the government by “indulging” the far-right.
“Correct. That is a legitimate concern that I have that I share with Tom that that direction, if that vision and that direction of the far-right that Bibi is indulging in, that if they see the full annexation of the West Bank, then that’s not something,” Newsom said.