But What Can You Do? tracks where 2026 candidates stand on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. How we check
Frank Pallone
- Backed with $23K by PACs we track that support U.S. weapons funding for the government of Israel (lifetime)
- Endorsed by AIPAC +1 more
Pallone said in April 2024: "I've been a strong supporter of assistance to Israel and will continue to support military assistance for Israel whenever necessary." In 2025 he added that the U.S. must do more to make sure aid gets into Gaza.
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You asked Frank Pallone where they stand.
Deep Dive
Pallone has represented New Jersey's 6th District since 1988.
His April 2024 statement on the security assistance package is unambiguous: "Iran's attack last week made it clear that we must continue to support Israel's defense against attacks from Iran and regional proxies. I've been a strong supporter of assistance to Israel and will continue to support military assistance for Israel whenever necessary."
Alongside that, he has pressed on humanitarian access. Asked about conditions in Gaza at a July 2025 event in Piscataway, he said it is incumbent upon the United States to do more to help people living there, and that the United States has to do more to make sure aid gets in because a lot of it is not. That report was not opened, so it is summarised rather than quoted.
In January 2025 he welcomed the hostage agreement and said true peace requires disarming Hamas and ensuring safety for all innocent lives.
His recorded votes appear as badges on this card and are consistent with those statements.
The record
Supported sending weapons or funding in 5 of 6 tracked votes
How this mark works
We track key votes on sending U.S. weapons and money to the government of Israel. A check means every tracked vote they cast came down against sending more, on the side of peace and de-escalation. A question mark means a mixed record: they sided with sending up to half of the time. An X means they voted to send more weapons and money in over half of their tracked votes, even as the way those weapons and dollars were being used became more and more obvious. At exactly half, money this election cycle from a lobbying group we track, or an endorsement from a group that backs sending weapons, makes it an X. Only votes actually cast are counted. Where a candidate has no recorded votes on these bills, the mark comes instead from a reviewed reading of their public record (money from the lobbying groups we track, endorsements, and their own words since January 26, 2024). There an X also covers fully backing the conduct of the war by the government of Israel without significant reservations, and a question mark also covers speaking about Israel without saying clearly where they stand on U.S. weapons and funding. A dash means No Position Found: we found nothing in their own words about Israel, Gaza or the war.
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Voted to send weapons or funding in more than half of their recorded tracked votes. (Supported sending weapons or funding in 5 of 6 tracked votes.)
The money
$23K in lifetime support from the five lobbying groups we track
In their words
AIPAC (2026 endorsement) · DMFI PAC (2026 endorsement)
Research log
The notes behind this card: what we looked at, what we found, and where each item came from.
U.S. military aid and weapons to Israel
- [Position, 2024-04-20] His statement on security assistance for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, opened and confirmed word for word: "Iran's attack last week made it clear that we must continue to support Israel's defense against attacks from Iran and regional proxies. I've been a strong supporter of assistance to Israel and will continue to support military assistance for Israel whenever necessary."
- [Position, 2025-07-30, reported] At an event in Piscataway, asked about humanitarian conditions in Gaza, said it is incumbent upon the United States to do more to help people living there and that the United States has to do more to make sure aid gets in (InsiderNJ). Not opened.
- [Position, undated] His foreign affairs and defense issues page, opened;, as reported it presents him as a lifelong supporter of Israel who backs military and economic assistance including for Iron Dome. No verbatim span extracted, so it is recorded as the research's summary.
- [After October 7, 2023-11-02] Statement opposing the partisan Israel aid bill, as reported urging Congress to pass a bipartisan package providing Israel with the military assistance it needs. From the weeks right after October 7; not used on the card. Not opened.
- [2024-10-18] NJ Spotlight News reported that New Jersey's House members were almost unanimous in supporting U.S. military aid to Israel, opened. Useful delegation context and not a statement by him.
- His recorded votes appear as badges on this card.
U.S. aid to Palestinians
- [Position, 2025-07-30, reported] The humanitarian-access remarks above are his clearest on this half of the question.
Characterization of the conflict
- [After October 7, 2024-01-23, reported] Signed a joint letter to the Secretary of State rejecting South Africa's genocide filing at the International Court of Justice, which argued that "charging the Jewish state with genocide for defending itself against Hamas terror is particularly cynical given that the term 'genocide' was coined following the murder of six million Jews in the Holocaust." A joint letter, so the wording is the group's; no individual quote is drawn from it. Not opened.
- [Position, 2025-01-15] Statement on the hostage deal, as reported saying true peace requires disarming Hamas and ensuring safety for all innocent lives, and citing Hamas's ongoing atrocities including the use of human shields. Not opened.
- [After October 7, 2023-10-08] Statement condemning the attacks. From the weeks right after October 7.
- [Undated] An Israel Policy Forum compilation of members speaking against annexation. A multi-member compilation; nothing individual drawn from it.
Related rhetoric and lobbying
- [After October 7, 2023-11-02, reported] Criticised Republicans for "politicizing support for Israel and making our ally a pawn of partisan politics." From the weeks right after October 7.
Safety and antisemitism (context)
- [Position, 2026-03-03] Led New Jersey members after a swastika was found at a Coast Guard base, cited twice, with the delegation letter. Safety context, never an answer about U.S. weapons or funding.
- [Undated] Joined a New Jersey delegation joint statement on antisemitic comments, carried on Rep. Gottheimer's site. Group statement.
- [Position, 2026-05-20] Introduced a resolution honouring 130 years of the Jewish War Veterans organisation (JNS, Jewish Standard). Safety and commemoration context.
Also in this race
- –No Position Found Hillary Herzig (Republican)
All New Jersey candidates.
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