Gov. Gavin Newsom said Thursday he supports President Biden鈥檚 call for a ceasefire in Gaza, citing the 鈥渙ngoing and horrific loss of innocent civilian life.鈥�
鈥淚 support President Biden鈥檚 call for an immediate ceasefire as part of a deal to secure desperately needed relief for Gazan civilians and the release of hostages,鈥� he addressed to California鈥檚 Muslim, Palestinian American, and Arab American communities. 鈥淚 also unequivocally denounce Hamas鈥檚 terrorist attack against Israel. It is time to work in earnest toward an enduring peace that will furnish the lasting security, autonomy, and freedom that the Palestinians and the Israeli people both deserve.鈥�
Newsom鈥檚 statement came one day before the to back a ceasefire resolution, though . And it follows other leaders shifting to more forceful calls for Israel to change its conduct of the war.
On March 3, , the former U.S. senator from California, called for an immediate, but temporary ceasefire 鈥� the strongest statement from the Biden administration to that point.
Following his State of the Union address on March 7, when he announced a new effort to bring in humanitarian aid by sea, President Biden and a hostage-prisoner exchange. And in a call with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week, the president expressed concerns about the civilian death toll and Israel鈥檚 blockade of aid delivery, according to a .
And on March 14, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish elected official, , saying on the Senate floor that and 鈥渉as been too willing to tolerate the civilian toll in Gaza, which is pushing support for Israel worldwide to historic lows.鈥�
The governor鈥檚 statement, sent during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, comes after months of criticism by pro-ceasefire supporters that he wasn鈥檛 even-handed .
But in California, views have been more mixed.
in California supported an immediate ceasefire in a poll released last month by the Public Policy Institute of California. But they鈥檙e more divided on whether to increase, decrease or maintain military aid to Israel and humanitarian aid to Palestinians.
The state鈥檚 Jewish Democrats have been split over calls for a ceasefire; Newsom鈥檚 move puts him at odds with those who have opposed the idea and framed the issue as Israeli having a right to defend itself.
U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff, who has advanced to the November election for U.S. Senate, had rejected calls for an immediate ceasefire, but said earlier this month that he would support one contingent on Hamas releasing hostages it kidnapped from Israel, adding that 鈥渢he obstacle to getting that temporary ceasefire is Hamas.鈥�
Assembly Republicans have called for a resolution condemning Hamas. And in response to Newsom鈥檚 letter, Jim Stanley, Assembly GOP leader James Gallagher鈥檚 spokesperson, of treating Israeli hostages as 鈥渁n afterthought.鈥�
Patrick James, former professor and director of USC鈥檚 Center for International Studies, said that the governor鈥檚 statement has little impact on the conflict itself and that it鈥檚 rare for governors to get involved in hot-button international issues.
鈥淭hey have some involvement in trade and investment policy, and yes, they even will visit other countries,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut they generally don鈥檛 talk about things like this.鈥�
That鈥檚 why James sees Newsom鈥檚 statement as a strategic one: 鈥淚t鈥檚 about a very skilled politician, positioning himself 鈥� and I think he鈥檚 doing this brilliantly 鈥� to be the Democratic nominee if there is an emergency and Biden pulls out, or for 2028.鈥�
鈥淗e鈥檚 hedged his bets,鈥� James added. 鈥淗e has not come out and said, 鈥業 love Hamas, and from the river to the sea鈥� or anything that extreme. He even has said some cautiously neutral to even pro-Israeli sounding things as well.鈥�
In the letter, Newsom acknowledged the suffering of the Muslim community 鈥� particularly those who had lost family and friends in Gaza.
鈥淭he scale of suffering in Gaza is so vast that it seems few Palestinians across the world have been spared personal loss,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd now burgeoning disease and starvation threaten to deepen the devastation, especially among children. This is unacceptable.鈥�
Newsom added that he will 鈥渁lways defend your right to take part in the California tradition of peaceful protest 鈥� to publicly express your opposition to any war or government decision you oppose, including the war in Gaza.鈥�
Officials from California chapters of the Council on American Islamic Relations and other groups have been pushing the governor for months 鈥� including at a , where community leaders and organizers from around the state asked the governor to call for a permanent ceasefire.
鈥淲e鈥檙e pleased to share that after many months of advocacy by various groups, including a meeting CAIR-CA convened with the Governor and Muslim leaders, this afternoon, Governor Newsom joined the resounding global call for ceasefire,鈥� said CAIR California CEO Hussam Ayloush.
The group also praised the governor for sending medical supplies and aid to Gaza.
But for others, the statement didn鈥檛 come soon enough.
鈥淚 certainly welcome Gov. Newsom鈥檚 support for a ceasefire. It should be noted however, that like President Biden, Gov. Newsom is making a political as opposed to a moral, ethical, or a principled judgment,鈥� said Yousef Baker, co-director of the Middle East Studies program at California State University, Long Beach. 鈥淣ewsom and other leading Democrats need to step up and show true humanistic leadership and put pressure on the Israeli government to halt its collective murder of Palestinians.鈥�
In a statement Friday, the Jewish Public Affairs Committee of California said it appreciated that Newsom鈥檚 letter included support for its core positions on the war: the return of remaining hostages, removing Hamas from power, maximizing aid to Gazans and minimizing civilian casualties.
鈥淲e look forward to continuing our close working relationship with Governor Newsom to strengthen California-Israel ties, achieve a peaceful and secure future for both Israelis and Palestinians, counter antisemitism, and make California a safe and welcoming place for all,鈥� the statement said.
The escalating violence and worsening humanitarian crisis followed the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by the militant group Hamas, in which 1,200 were killed and at least 200 taken hostage. Later that month, Newsom on the way to a climate change tour of China. While in Israel, he met with government officials and visited the parents of a . Newsom did not go to Gaza due to security issues, and his pledge of medical and humanitarian aid for Palestinians wasn鈥檛 fulfilled until weeks after similar aid was delivered to Israel, also due to security issues.
During a week-long pause in November, Hamas freed more than 100 Israeli and foreign hostages in exchange for Israel releasing about 240 Palestinian prisoners, . Israel鈥檚 response to the attack has killed more than , according to Gaza health officials, and displaced 85% of Gaza鈥檚 2.3 million people, according to .
In addition to addressing the conflict, Newsom said his administration is focused on battling Islamophobia and anti-Arab hate. Since Oct. 7, Jewish, Arab and Muslim communities around the U.S. have seen increases in incidents of .
Last October, the governor authorized expanding the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, which mosques, churches and synagogues can use to bolster safety and security.
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