Cory Booker

Following Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack, Booker called on Congress to immediately provide additional security assistance to Israel, including replenishment for Iron Dome. He described Israel as a U.S. ally and said Congress should act quickly to support its defense.

Booker's record on specific arms transfers has become more conditional. In July 2025, he voted against motions to advance S.J. Res. 41 and S.J. Res. 34, which would have blocked proposed exports of rifles and other defense articles and a proposed sale including bombs to Israel; both motions failed. In April 2026, he voted for motions to advance S.J. Res. 32 and S.J. Res. 138, which would have blocked proposed sales of bulldozers and 1,000- pound bombs; those motions also failed. Booker said the 2026 votes reflected his opposition to providing more weapons for President Trump's war with Iran, while stating that he would remain steadfast in support of Israel's defense and deterrence capabilities.

In June 2026, Booker joined Senators Jacky Rosen, Joni Ernst, and James Lankford in introducing S. 4681, the OASIS in the Middle East Act. The bill would require the Defense Department to develop a coordinated air- and missile-defense acquisition strategy with Israel, Abraham Accords partners, and other regional allies to counter Iranian missile, drone, and rocket attacks. It was referred to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and has not passed.

On August 26, 2026, Booker led a letter with 42 senators urging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to take immediate action against rising settler violence in the West Bank, create a credible mechanism to investigate violations of law, and complete investigations into the deaths of American citizens. The letter framed these requests as measures to protect civilians and U.S. citizens rather than as opposition to Israel's security or existence.

Booker opposed President Trump's 2018 withdrawal from the Iran nuclear agreement, arguing that leaving the deal increased the risk of Iran developing a nuclear weapon and jeopardized international inspections and monitoring. He described the agreement as imperfect but preferable to a nuclear-armed Iran and supported continued diplomacy backed by IAEA verification.

In June 2025 and again in February 2026, Booker said Iran must never be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon. He also argued that military action alone could not solve Iran's nuclear challenge and criticized U.S. strikes undertaken without congressional authorization or a clear long-term strategy, calling for congressional oversight and a comprehensive approach to a nuclear-free Iran.

In October 2023, Booker and Senator Joni Ernst led 47 Senate colleagues in urging President Biden to prioritize the release of American hostages taken by Hamas and to continue supporting Israel's efforts to dismantle the threat posed by Hamas. The letter also called for resources for Israel's defense and regional pressure on Hamas to permit Red Cross access to hostages.

In June 2025, Booker described Iran as the world's largest state sponsor of terrorism and said it funds, arms, and enables Hamas, Hezbollah, and other terrorist groups. He said Israelis deserve to live free from terrorism while also calling for a peaceful end to regional escalation.

On October 7, 2023, Booker condemned Hamas's acts of violence, kidnapping, and terror against Israeli civilians and said he stood with the people of Israel and families who had lost loved ones.

Booker was an original cosponsor of S. Res. 408, a bipartisan resolution condemning Hamas's October 7 terrorist attacks and demanding the immediate safe release of all hostages. The Senate agreed to the resolution, with amendments, by unanimous consent on November 9, 2023.

During an October 2023 bipartisan Senate trip to Israel and neighboring countries, Booker reaffirmed Israel's right to defend itself, called for the release of all hostages, and said Palestinian civilians were not responsible for Hamas's terrorism. He also argued that Hamas should not be allowed to derail regional normalization and a future two-state peace process.

Booker cosponsored S. 4091, the Countering Antisemitism Act, in May 2024. The bill proposed a National Coordinator to Counter Antisemitism, an interagency task force, annual assessments of antisemitic violent-extremism threats, and other federal measures; it was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee and did not advance before the end of the 118th Congress.

In December 2025, Booker joined every Senate Democrat in introducing S. Res. 533, which condemned white supremacy, hate, antisemitism, Nazism, and efforts to give those ideologies a platform. Booker said antisemitism and hate speech must be called out and that political leaders should stand with Jewish communities. The resolution was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee and has not been agreed to by the Senate.

In October 2023, Booker joined a bipartisan group of senators calling for additional funding for FEMA's Nonprofit Security Grant Program after Hamas's attack and a rise in antisemitic threats. Booker specifically cited the need to safeguard Jewish houses of worship and other religious organizations at increased risk of violence.

After an attempted firebombing at Temple Ner Tamid in Bloomfield, New Jersey, in January 2023, Booker condemned the attack and said he would continue working to secure resources through programs such as the Nonprofit Security Grant Program to protect synagogues and houses of worship across New Jersey.

Booker was an original cosponsor of S. Res. 6 in 2017, which objected to U.N. Security Council Resolution 2334 and rejected efforts by the United Nations and other international bodies to isolate Israel or impose terms outside direct Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. The measure was reported by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and placed on the Senate calendar but was never agreed to by the Senate.

In January 2025, Booker voted against cloture on the motion to proceed to H.R. 23, the Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act, which proposed sanctions connected to International Criminal Court actions against protected U.S. and allied persons. Booker and other senators said the ICC's targeting of Israel and its leaders deserved condemnation and consequences, but argued that the House bill was overly broad; they called instead for targeted sanctions on ICC officials directly responsible for the court's actions against Israel.