What Walz Gets Wrong About Israel & Those Who Hate Israel

Democratic VP nominee Tim Walz raised some eyebrows on Thursday during an interview with WCMU, an NPR affiliate based in Mount Pleasant, Michigan in which he discussed the war between Israel and Hamas for the first time length since being named Kamala Harris' running mate:

While Walz acknowledges what occurred on October 7th "was a horrific act of violence against the people of Israel" and asserts Israel's right to defend itself, he does not mention Hamas let alone characterize it as an act of terrorism. Nor does he mention the six hostages recently executed by Hamas including Hersh Goldberg-Polin whose parents spoke at the Democratic National Convention last month.

From there, Walz says, "But we can't allow what's happened in Gaza to happen. The Palestinian people have every right to life and liberty themselves." So how does Walz propose Israel defend itself? Yes, the Palestinian people have the right to life and liberty, but what has Hamas done to promote life and liberty? And many Palestinians who aspire to life and liberty want a Palestine which runs from the river to the sea and with it the right to resistance even if that means murdering people at kibbutzs and music festivals. 

Now, Walz says he is in favor of a two-state solution but says, "We need the Netanyahu government to start moving in that direction." Well, what about Hamas? Or for that matter the Palestinian Authority? Why does Walz think pressure should be applied solely to Israel? Is Walz, a former social studies teacher, unaware of the fact that the UN General Assembly created a Jewish and an Arab state in 1947 which the Jews accepted and the Arabs (re: Palestinians) rejected?

Then Walz makes his most dubious point. "But I think those folks who are speaking out loudly in Michigan are speaking out for all the right reasons." Are Palestinians and those who support the Palestinians who chant "Death to America" and "Death to Israel" in Dearborn speaking out for all the right reasons?

I suspect that part of the reason Walz might have said this is because he and Harris are worried the uncommitted Palestinian vote will hand Michigan to Trump. While most Muslim voters still support Democrats, Trump has seen an increase in support from the Muslim community from 2020 with Michigan having one of the largest Muslim populations in the entire country. 

Yet I doubt the Uncommitted Movement will accept Walz's efforts to woo them. Walz was disrupted by them during the DNC. Frankly, he ought to stop. The efforts of J.D. Vance to tar and feather Walz on his military service have fallen flat. However, Vance might be able to score points against Walz when it comes to Israel should they have a debate notwithstanding the fact he pals around with those legitimize Holocaust deniers. 

Nevertheless, Walz's comments concerning Israel and those who hate Israel are more wrong than right. I don't think Josh Shapiro would have made such an error.