Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro (Democrat) is being forced to defend his stance on Israel after an op-ed he wrote more than 30 years ago in which he wrote about volunteering in the Israeli army and disparaged Palestinians resurfaced.
“Since writing this article as a 20-year-old student, Governor Shapiro has developed close, meaningful and rewarding relationships with many Muslim American, Arab American, Palestinian Christian and Jewish community leaders across Pennsylvania,” Shapiro spokesman Manuel Bondar told Fox News Digital in a statement.
“The Governor very much valued their perspectives and the experiences he learned over the years, and as a result, his views on the Middle East, as on many issues, have evolved into the positions he holds today,” Bondar continued.
The Philadelphia Inquirer uncovered an essay that Shapiro wrote for the Campus Times, the student newspaper at the University of Rochester, where he graduated in 1995. In the piece, Shapiro emphasized his view that “Palestinians will not coexist peacefully” because “they do not have the capacity to build and succeed in building their own homeland, even with Israeli and American help.”
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“They are too willing to fight to build a peaceful homeland,” Shapiro wrote, introducing himself as a “former Israeli army volunteer” who described the Arab world as divided and “warlike.”
The comments resurfaced this week as part of an extensive investigation into Shapiro after current Vice President Kamala Harris clinched the nomination and Shapiro was expected to be named as the Democratic running mate.
Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro speaks at a campaign event, Tuesday, April 16, 2024, in Scranton, Pennsylvania. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Shapiro’s support for Israel has been controversial within the party due to his strong pro-Palestinian views on the far-left wing of the Democratic Party. Opponents of Shapiro’s candidacy have launched the “No Genocide, Josh” campaign and continue to pressure Harris to choose a different running mate.
Some Jewish lawmakers say the criticism of Shapiro is unfair and assumes that Jewish politicians are incapable of being objective about Israel.
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“I think there’s a sense that we’re not objective. [on Israel] “That’s not true or fair because he’s Jewish,” said Rep. Greg Landsman of Ohio. He told Axios“There are many pro-Israel members who are being protested, and as Jews, I think they feel it especially intensely and personally.”
Bondar rejected the idea that the newspaper’s op-ed, written decades ago, is indicative of the governor’s current thinking on Israel.
Vice President Kamala Harris and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro (L) hold a press conference during a stop at Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on July 13, 2024. (Photo by Ryan Collard/AFP) (Photo by Ryan Collard/AFP via Getty Images) (Ryan Collard/AFP via Getty Images)
“As the Governor has made clear for many years, he supports a two-state solution in which Israelis and Palestinians can peacefully coexist, and he believes it is vital that leaders on both sides of this conflict take meaningful and necessary steps toward a lasting peace,” Bondar emphasized.
“Governor Shapiro has worked hard to bring people together, to listen, to keep our communities safe and to make our voices heard, and he will always be a governor for all Pennsylvanians,” Bondar added.
Comedian Michael Rapaport said Harris lost the vote to Israel: “I can’t support a party that supports these idiots.”
“During high school, Josh Shapiro did required service work and completed a project through a program that involved working on farms and fishing on a kibbutz in Israel,” Bondar said of describing himself as a “former Israeli military volunteer.”
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro speaks with U.S. President Joe Biden (not pictured) during a campaign event at the Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple in Scranton, Pennsylvania, Tuesday, April 16, 2024. Photo by Hannah Beyer/Bloomberg (Hannah Beyer/Bloomberg)
“The program included volunteering for service at Israeli military bases. He did not serve in any military activities,” Bondar said.
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Asked about the article at a press conference on Friday, Shapiro, 51, emphasized his age and the time that has passed since he published the article. He reiterated his belief that the only way forward for the region is a two-state solution in which both Israelis and Palestinians “can determine their own future and their own destiny.” The Times of Israel reported..
According to The New York Times, Shapiro also slammed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier this year, calling him “one of the worst leaders in history” and accusing him of leading the country in the “wrong direction.”
