Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is currently facing backlash over a decades-old op-ed.
Shapiro is under fire and facing claims of disqualification from some on the left as he emerges as a possible running mate for Vice President Kamala Harris, due to a 1993 pro-Israel op-ed in which he expressed doubts about a two-state solution in the Middle East, as Breitbart reports.
Shapiro, a Democrat with increasing prominence, authored a piece in 1993 that questioned the feasibility of a peaceful resolution between Israelis and Palestinians. At the time, he was a 20-year-old student at the University of Rochester.
The opinion piece, titled “Peace not possible,” has resurfaced amid discussions about Shapiro potentially joining Harris’s ticket. In it, Shapiro argued that Palestinians were too entrenched in conflict to successfully form their own state.
In his 1993 op-ed, Shapiro disclosed his experience volunteering at an Israeli army base during his teenage years. This background framed his perspective that a peaceful accord between Israeli and Palestinian leaders would not resolve the ongoing conflict.
Shapiro wrote that Palestinians lacked the ability to establish a peaceful homeland, even with support from Israel and the United States. He stated, “They are too battle-minded to be able to establish a peaceful homeland of their own.”
Further, Shapiro expressed a grim view on Middle Eastern peace, asserting that a stable coexistence was historically dubious and unlikely to be achieved. He claimed, “Using history as precedent, peace between Arabs and Israelis is virtually impossible and will never come.”
The op-ed has ignited a storm of criticism from left-wing Democrats, particularly pro-Palestinian advocates and activists. Within the White House, anti-Israel staffers are reportedly incensed at the potential selection of Shapiro as Harris’s running mate.
Detractors argue that Shapiro’s historical stance reveals a deep-seated opposition to Palestinian statehood. They point to his dismissive tone toward Palestinian aspirations as indicative of broader biases. However, Shapiro’s spokesperson, Manuel Bonder, has attempted to mitigate the fallout. Bonder emphasized that Shapiro’s views have evolved significantly over the past three decades.
According to Bonder, the governor now endorses a two-state solution as the viable path forward for Israeli-Palestinian peace. “The governor’s position has changed over the last three decades,” Bonder stated, noting his present-day support for a dual-state framework.
As this controversy unfolds, Shapiro’s defenders claim he is facing an antisemitic backlash from the progressive left. They argue that the 1993 op-ed is too dated to reflect his contemporary policies and beliefs.
Despite the heated debate, Shapiro's supporters are rallying around his current diplomatic stance. They urge critics to consider his contemporary political actions and statements rather than focusing on a single youthful commentary.
The resurfacing of Shapiro's 1993 article comes at a critical juncture. With discussions of the 2024 election cycle ramping up, every piece of a candidate’s history is scrutinized for ideological consistency and potential liabilities.
