Ro Khanna Calls for Halt to Military Aid to Israel at DNC Meeting

Khanna, who is weighing a presidential bid for 2028, received significant applause for his stance. While he unequivocally condemned the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack, he pointed to his own recent experience in the West Bank—where he was detained by Israeli military and armed settlers—as a formative moment. He warned that the Democratic Party risks losing a generation of voters who have documented the humanitarian crisis in Gaza if it fails to align its actions with its stated principles of justice.

The remarks arrived as the DNC approved resolutions calling for the enforcement of the Leahy Laws, which mandate the suspension of arms transfers to foreign governments linked to human rights abuses. Despite this, a divide persists between the party’s grassroots and its leadership. Recent polling indicates a broad opposition to military aid among Democratic voters, yet in late July, a majority of House Democrats—including Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries—voted against an amendment proposed by Khanna to cut $3.3 billion in assistance to Israel.