Josh Shapiro distances himself from IDF past and his previous claim that Palestinians are 'too battle-minded' for peace

Pennsylvania Governor and potential Kamala Harris running mate Josh Shapiro has attempted to distance himself from an op-ed he wrote in college that was critical of Palestinians. In the piece, Shapiro identified himself as a volunteer in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and argued that Palestinians are too "battle-minded" to negotiate peace with Israel.

In response to the 1993 newspaper op-ed, Shapiro's spokesperson Manuel Bonder stated to the Times of Israel, “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.”



“The program also included volunteering on service projects on an Israeli army base. At no time was he engaged in any military activities, he added.

The op-ed, titled “Peace Not Possible,” included criticism of the Oslo Accords signed at the time. 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.” He also wrote that “Palestinians will not coexist peacefully” with Israelis and that 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.”

Human Events senior editor Jack Posobiec said of the move from Shapiro, "I, for one, would never disparage someone’s military service. Josh Shapiro should be proud of volunteering in the IDF and wear his uniform with pride. In fact, he should even show us all his pride by walking out at Chicago in it!"

The op-ed has resurfaced as Shapiro is assumed to be at the top of Harris’ shortlist of vice presidential candidates. Shapiro, the governor of the crucial swing state of Pennsylvania, is seen as a valuable asset in Harris's efforts to win the state and other Rust Belt states such as Michigan and Wisconsin. However, Shapiro, who is of Jewish descent, has not been as critical of Israel as the pro-Palestinian base within the Democratic Party. This has led some Democratic pundits to suggest Shapiro may not be chosen because he is Jewish.

When asked directly about the op-ed at a press conference on Friday, Shapiro dismissed it, saying, “I was 20.”

“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,” he said. Harris is expected to announce her VP pick this upcoming week. She is also expected to have her pick at a Pennsylvania rally on Tuesday, an event Shapiro confirmed he will be attending.