The pro-Palestinian Abandon Biden campaign celebrated the snub of Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA) as Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate but still said she isn’t doing enough to help end the war in Gaza.
In a statement following Gov. Tim Walz’s (D-MN) choice as Harris’s running mate, Abandon Biden praised the successful effort to exclude Shapiro from the ticket, as the Pennsylvania governor had criticized pro-Palestinian student protesters and volunteered for the Israeli military when he was younger.
“We applaud individuals who voiced their concerns about Josh Shapiro’s complicity with genocide,” the group said. “Under pressure from people of conscience, the Harris campaign did not select Shapiro, but victory is not upon us until the genocide comes to an end. We demand an unconditional and permanent ceasefire and a complete arms embargo against Israel.”
They expressed cautious optimism about the selection of Walz but expressed concern that “the party and the campaign are relying more on the appearance of change rather than any actual plan for it.”
Walz was praised for expressing sympathy for the uncommitted vote in the Minnesota primary, calling the situation in Gaza “intolerable.”
“However, we draw caution from a recent incident where Walz had an opportunity to sit down with Palestinians impacted by the genocide in Gaza, in Minnesota,” Abandon Biden added. “His office canceled the scheduled meeting allegedly after learning that the group had come with not just stories of personal impact but also specific policy demands.”
The statement concluded with a demand for nothing short of a full arms embargo on Israel and an immediate, unconditional ceasefire.
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The war in Gaza has fractured the Democratic Party — pro-Palestinian factions accused President Joe Biden of participating in genocide, while the pro-Israel factions accused him of not doing enough to support Israel. He was dogged by pro-Palestinian protesters in nearly every public appearance since the war began.
Harris has faced some criticism but has been able to largely distance herself from the Biden administration’s stance on the war. Fears over Shapiro’s pro-Israel background could have affected his possible candidacy as Harris’s running mate, though her campaign has denied it playing a role.
