Roy Cooper

Cooper's campaign says he "generally does not believe we should withhold aid from a critical ally like Israel," preferring diplomatic pressure for food access in Gaza over conditioning aid. He rejected his state party's push for an arms embargo and, as governor, signed North Carolina's antisemitism-definition law.

Cooper, North Carolina's governor from 2017 through 2024, is the Democratic Senate nominee. His aid position arrived with his Senate campaign: in August 2025 his campaign told Jewish Insider that he "generally does not believe we should withhold aid from a critical ally like Israel when they have to defend themselves against countries like Iran," that he "would consider the specific text of any bills that came before the Senate," and that he prefers other pressure on the Israeli government for humanitarian food access in Gaza and hostage negotiations rather than aid cutoffs. That summer he rejected North Carolina Democratic Party leadership efforts to pass resolutions accusing Israel of genocide and demanding an arms embargo.

His state record points the same direction: he signed the 2017 law divesting state funds from companies that boycott Israel, and in July 2024 signed the SHALOM Act, adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism into state law while saying free-speech protections remain. On the second anniversary of October 7 he called for hostages home, Hamas disarmed, and an end to "death and destruction in Gaza," praying for both Israelis and Palestinians.

Research

U.S. military aid and weapons to Israel

• [Position, 2025-08-03] Campaign statement to Jewish Insider, read and verified verbatim: he "generally does not believe we should withhold aid from a critical ally like Israel when they have to defend themselves against countries like Iran"; "would consider the specific text of any bills that came before the Senate"; prefers pressure mechanisms for Gaza food access and hostage negotiations over aid cutoffs.
• [Position, 2025-07/08] Rejected NC Democratic Party leadership resolutions accusing Israel of genocide and demanding an arms embargo (same JI source; an NRSC attack page covers the same episode from the right; opposition source, context only).

U.S. aid to Palestinians

• [Position, 2025-08-03] The diplomatic-pressure-for-food-access position above: more humanitarian access to Gaza pursued through diplomacy, not through conditioning aid to the government of Israel. Both halves named.

Characterization of the conflict

• [Reaction window, 2023-10-12] "Horrific, unspeakable terrorism" that "must be stopped"; solidarity with the Israeli people; flags at half-staff through 2023-10-19. Off the card; an existing record quote carries this.
• [Position, 2025-10-07, reported; source unreadable] Second-anniversary statement: Hamas's assault horrendous; hostages released; Hamas disarmed; end the "death and destruction in Gaza"; prayers for Israelis and Palestinians (Facebook source 400). The record's existing 2024-10-07 quote carries similar first-anniversary language.

Related rhetoric and lobbying

• [Prior, 2017] Signed North Carolina's law divesting state funds from companies boycotting Israel (record's prior research).
• [Reaction window, 2023-10/11] A coalition of 30 Muslim and pro-Palestinian organizations criticized his statement as "one-sided" (Carolina Journal, Muslim Women For). Off the card as an episode; retained as research context.
• DMFI support $7,401 this cycle is a badge; not restated.

Safety and antisemitism (context)

• [Position, 2024-05-14] Proclaimed Jewish American Heritage Month (governor.nc.gov).
• [Position, 2024-07-01] Signed HB 942, the SHALOM Act, adopting the IHRA definition into state law (AP, his release): defining antisemitism vital to stopping it, with free-speech protections maintained.
• [Position, 2026-01-27] International Holocaust Remembrance Day statement: pledged to keep fighting antisemitism in the Senate.