Maryland Gov. Wes Moore built much of his political appeal on seriousness, discipline and moral balance. That is why his recent interview with Politico was so disappointing. Not because he criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — many supporters of Israel, including many American Jews, strongly disagree with Netanyahu on matters of policy, coalition politics and war strategy. The problem is that Moore crossed the line from criticism into reckless accusation, inflaming precisely the fears and insecurities he claims to oppose.
Calling Netanyahu a war criminal is not casual rhetoric. It is among the gravest accusations that can be leveled against the leader of a democratic ally fighting terrorist organizations openly committed to its destruction. Moore did not merely criticize operational decisions in Gaza or raise humanitarian concerns. He adopted the language increasingly used to delegitimize and morally stigmatize the Jewish state itself.
There is a profound difference between arguing that Israel has made mistakes, even grave ones, and declaring its prime minister guilty of war crimes before any competent court has ruled. Moore said, “it’s going to have to be international tribunals” that “figure that out,” but then immediately pronounced judgment himself. That is not prudence. It is political positioning masquerading as moral clarity.
Even more troubling was Moore’s assertion that Netanyahu’s actions are making American Jews less safe. On what basis? Because antisemites cite Gaza to justify threatening Jews? Since when do we assign responsibility for hatred to its targets? Are Jews now expected to earn public safety by demonstrating sufficient ideological distance from Israel’s government?
American Jews are not endangered because Israel exists or because Netanyahu prosecutes a war aggressively. They are endangered because antisemites choose to target Jews collectively for Israel’s actions. Moore’s formulation dangerously blurs that distinction. It edges toward a politics in which Jewish safety becomes contingent on whether Israel behaves in ways acceptable to progressive opinion.
That is morally backwards.
Would Moore say that anti-Muslim bigotry after Islamist terrorism was understandable because foreign actors created “conditions” for backlash? Would he suggest that anti-Black racism is worsened by the conduct of controversial Black public figures? Of course not. Hate is the responsibility of the hater. Full stop.
Moore also displayed a troubling casualness with facts. His claim that Israel has “annexed” 10% of Lebanon during fighting with Hezbollah is, at best, deeply misleading. Temporary military operations in border areas during an active conflict are not annexation. Precision matters, especially from a governor widely discussed as a future national leader.
What did Moore accomplish with these remarks? He did not move Israelis and Palestinians closer to peace. He did not reduce antisemitism or calm tensions in Maryland communities already unnerved by rising hostility since Oct. 7. What he did do was lend the prestige of his office to a fashionable political narrative that recasts Netanyahu not merely as controversial, but as uniquely monstrous — a figure whose actions supposedly help explain or contextualize hatred directed at Jews far beyond Israel’s borders.
We expected better from Wes Moore. Instead, he appears increasingly infected by the anti-Netanyahu fever sweeping parts of the Democratic Party — a political contagion that confuses outrage with wisdom and denunciation with leadership.
