Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, a potential vice presidential nominee, is seeking to distance himself from a recently resurfaced college op-ed in which he discussed his experiences as a former volunteer in Israel and expressed controversial views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The op-ed, published in 1993 while Shapiro was a student at the University of Rochester, included statements critical of the newly signed Oslo Accords and expressed skepticism about the possibility of peace between Israelis and Palestinians. In the article titled “Peace Not Possible,” Shapiro wrote, “Despite my skepticism as a Jew and a past volunteer in the Israeli army, I strongly hope and pray that this ‘peace plan’ will be successful.”
The piece also included controversial remarks about Palestinians, stating, “Palestinians will not coexist peacefully. They do not have the capabilities to establish their own homeland and make it successful even with the aid of Israel and the United States. They are too battle-minded to be able to establish a peaceful homeland of their own.”
Shapiro’s spokesperson, Manuel Bonder, clarified the nature of Shapiro’s involvement with the IDF. “While he was in high school, Josh Shapiro was required to do a service project, which he and several classmates completed through a program that took them to a kibbutz in Israel where he worked on a farm and at a fishery,” Bonder explained. “The program also included volunteering on service projects on an Israeli army base. At no time was he engaged in any military activities.”
The resurfacing of the op-ed comes just before Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to announce her running mate for the upcoming presidential election. Shapiro, who has faced criticism from far-left and anti-Israel activists, has been nicknamed “Genocide Josh” by them. These critics have been accused of antisemitism, especially as Shapiro’s recent views are not seen as more pro-Israel than those of other potential vice presidential candidates.
In response to the controversy, Shapiro addressed the op-ed during a press conference, stating, “I was 20.” He emphasized his current stance, saying, “I have said for years, years before October 7, that I favor a two-state solution — Israelis and Palestinians living peacefully side-by-side, being able to determine their own futures and their own destiny.”
Earlier this year, Shapiro was critical of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling him “one of the worst leaders of all time” and asserting that Netanyahu has led Israel in the wrong direction.
In a separate statement to the Inquirer, Shapiro’s spokesperson highlighted the governor’s evolved views on the Middle East, noting that Shapiro “has built close, meaningful, informative relationships with many Muslim-American, Arab-American, Palestinian Christian, and Jewish community leaders all across Pennsylvania.” The spokesperson added, “The governor greatly values their perspectives and the experiences he has learned from over the years — and as a result, as with many issues, his views on the Middle East have evolved into the position he holds today.”
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One Response
This is so ironic. Shapiro is being criticized for predicting that the Oslo Accords wouldn’t bring peace and that giving the Arabs a state would just lead to more battle.
I can’t understand why someone would be criticized for accurately predicting current events 20 years ago.