Vice President Kamala Harris’ choice to select Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate instead of Pennsylvania’s Josh Shapiro, the only Jewish candidate considered, has led to immediate speculation that Shapiro was overlooked due to his pro-Israel stance.
“This is a person who heeded the Hamas faction of her own party when deciding on a nominee,” former President Trump’s running mate, Senator JD Vance, R-Ohio, remarked to reporters following the announcement, as reported by CBS News.
This reaction comes amidst significant criticism regarding the selection of Walz over Shapiro, with many suggesting that the choice aimed to satisfy the far-left elements within the Democratic Party, which some perceive as antagonistic towards Israel.
“Those in the overly online left who are scrutinizing Josh Shapiro’s pro-Israel stance differently from how they assess non-Jewish vice presidential candidates’ positions are revealing their own biases,” Rep. Jake Auchincloss, D-Mass., told CNN on Monday.
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Minnesota Governor Tim Walz addresses a press conference on Jan. 26, 2021, in St. Paul. (Anthony Souffle/Star Tribune via AP, File)
“There is a significant undercurrent of antisemitism involved,” he elaborated. “It’s simply unacceptable. Each contender’s policy positions and elected track records are all valid subjects for examination by the Harris campaign and external observers; however, judging him by a different standard solely because of his religion is not representative of our values in the Democratic Party.”
This defense of Shapiro arises as some pro-Israel advocates have grown increasingly concerned that Harris has begun to adopt a perspective distinct from President Biden regarding support for Israel, asserting that the vice president appears to be leaning towards the faction within the Democratic Party that has expressed support for Palestinians in light of Israel’s military actions in Gaza.
While Harris has maintained that Israel retains the right to self-defense and consistently condemned the terrorist attacks on Israel in October, she was also the first administration official to advocate for an “immediate cease-fire” in Gaza.
Additionally, Harris pledged to “not remain silent” regarding the suffering of Gazans in advance of a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last month, remarks viewed by some as indications of a continuing shift from the president’s stance.
Walz has similarly aligned his views with Harris, alternating between supporting Israel and expressing empathy for the situation faced by Gazans.
VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS SELECTS MINNESOTA GOVERNOR TIM WALZ AS HER RUNNING MATE
“You can maintain dual perspectives: affirming Israel’s right to self-defense, denouncing the atrocities of October 7, and acknowledging the need to cease the suffering of Palestinian civilians caught in this conflict,” Walz stated during an interview with Minnesota Public Radio in March, according to Al Jazeera.
Walz has repeatedly affirmed Israel’s right to exist, stating to the Jewish Community Relations Council earlier this year that the “ability of Jewish people to self-determine is fundamental.”
“Failing to acknowledge Israel’s statehood undermines that self-determination. Therefore, it is antisemitic,” he asserted.
Governor Tim Walz speaks at a press conference concerning gun legislation at City Hall on Aug. 1, 2024, in Bloomington, Minnesota. (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
The Minnesota governor was swift to denounce the October 7 terrorist attacks against Israel and emphasized that those responsible demonstrated “a complete lack of humanity.”
“This is not merely a geopolitical matter. This is murder,” Walz stated, according to a report from the Times of Israel.
He also urged his fellow party members to take the concerns of Jewish students seriously in light of a surge of anti-Israel demonstrations at American colleges in the spring.
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“When Jewish students express feeling unsafe, we must take their concerns seriously, which I do,” Walz confirmed during a PBS interview. “Facilitating spaces for political protest or dissent is one thing; intimidation is an entirely different issue.”
Democratic Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (Glen Stubbe/Star Tribune via Getty Images)
As reported by USA Today, Walz previously demonstrated support for Israel during his time in Congress from 2007 to 2019, voting alongside Israel on several occasions, including a motion to denounce a United Nations resolution that deemed Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal.
However, Walz also indicated that his support for Israel has limits, cautioning against those same settlements during a diplomatic tour of the Middle East in 2009, arguing that they jeopardize peace prospects.
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Like Harris, Walz called for a cease-fire in the ongoing conflict in March. That same month, he commended Democrats who voted uncommitted in the state’s primary as part of protests against the Biden administration’s strategy in Gaza.
