RSS
Democratic Socialists of America Urges Kamala Harris Not to Pick Josh Shapiro for VP Slot, Citing Israel Support
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) holds a rally in support of US Vice President Kamala Harris’ Democratic presidential election campaign in Ambler, Pennsylvania, US, July 29, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Rachel Wisniewski
The Philadelphia chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is urging presumptive US Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris not to select Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) as her running mate, citing his support for Israel as a key reason.
The local DSA chapter issued a statement this past weekend on the “ongoing media blitz for Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro.” The organization argued that Shapiro’s alleged failure to fight for “Palestinian rights” and his support for the “Zionist project in Palestine” should disqualify him from consideration for the Democratic presidential ticket.
“To win in November, Kamala Harris and the Democrats need a vice president who will fight for Palestinian rights, back public schools, protect workers, and defend free speech. Governor Shapiro isn’t hitting those high notes,” DSA wrote.
“Governor Shapiro is an outspoken supporter of the Zionist project in Palestine, which has resulted in the deaths of thousands of Palestinians and the displacement of millions more,” DSA added.
Shapiro, a practicing Jew, has positioned himself as a staunch supporter of Israel. In the days following Hamas’ brutal slaughter of roughly 1,200 people across southern Israel on Oct. 7, Shapiro issued statements condemning the Palestinian terrorist group and gave a speech at a local synagogue. The governor also ordered the US and Pennsylvania Commonwealth flags to fly at half mast outside the state capitol to honor the victims.
Shapiro has condemned protests against Israeli- and Jewish-owned businesses in Pennsylvania as “antisemitic” and resisted demands to call for a “ceasefire” in Gaza between Israel and Hamas. The governor revised the state codes of conduct to bar government employees from participating in “scandalous or disgraceful” behavior.
DSA claimed that Shapiro’s disapproval of the anti-Israel protests that erupted on US university campuses this past spring made him unfit for the Democratic presidential ticket, arguing that his opposition indicated a lack of support for free speech rights.
“Governor Shapiro regularly equates anti-Zionism and organizing against the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians to antisemitism,” DSA continued. “He’s also compared student protestors to the Ku Klux Klan — a wild comparison — and has been busy fighting against the right to boycott and curtailing free speech. Plus, let’s not forget his love for cracking down on peaceful encampments in our city.”
During an April interview with CNN host Jake Tapper, Shapiro forcefully condemned the pro-Hamas protests on university campuses, questioning “whether or not we would tolerate this if this were people dressed up in KKK outfits or KKK regalia, making comments about people who are African American in our communities.”
Shapiro also criticized then-University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill for her unwillingness to punish anti-Israel demonstrators, some of whom declared support for Hamas, called for the destruction of Israel, and even threatened members of the campus’ Jewish community.
DSA asserted that “Shapiro’s pro-war stance, anti-Palestinian views” will alienate the “young and diverse voters who Kamala Harris’ bid for president has revitalized.”
“We will continue to call on Harris and Democrats to push for an immediate ceasefire in Palestine and to adopt a progressive agenda to energize their base and beat back the looming threat of fascism,” DSA wrote. “Josh Shapiro is not the right man for this job. To keep the momentum going, the Democrats must select a candidate who is strong on these issues.”
DSA, a left-wing political organization that counts members of the US Congress among its ranks, recently pulled its endorsement of US Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) over what it described as insufficient support for the Palestinian cause.
The decision came about two weeks after a caucus affiliated with DSA issued a public endorsement of Hamas.
The post Democratic Socialists of America Urges Kamala Harris Not to Pick Josh Shapiro for VP Slot, Citing Israel Support first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
RSS
Netanyahu Criticizes Nation-Wide Strike That ‘Strengthens Hamas’
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a news conference in Jerusalem, Sept. 2, 2024. Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg/Pool via REUTERS
i24 News – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday harshly criticized nationwide demonstrations calling for the release of hostages and an end to the Gaza war.
Speaking at a government meeting, Netanyahu argued that such protests only strengthen Hamas and risk repeating the atrocities of October 7.
“Those who call today for an end to Hamas’s war not only harden the terrorist group’s position and delay the release of our hostages, but also guarantee that the horrors of October 7 will be repeated and that we will have to fight an endless war,” Netanyahu said.
The prime minister defended Israel’s ongoing military operations, citing strikes carried out in recent days: “In the last 24 hours, the navy attacked power stations in Yemen, IDF soldiers struck Zeitoun and eliminated dozens of terrorists in Gaza, and the air force targeted Hezbollah commanders and launch sites in Lebanon.”
He added that Israel’s response in Lebanon was consistent with the ceasefire agreement: “According to this agreement, we will meet with fire any violation and any attempt to arm Hezbollah.”
Netanyahu reaffirmed Israel’s conditions for ending the conflict, stressing the need for continued security control in Gaza and the group’s long-term demilitarization. He rejected Hamas’s demand for a full Israeli withdrawal: “They want us to leave Gaza entirely — from the north, the south, the Philadelphi corridor, and the security perimeter. That would only allow them to reorganize, rearm, and attack us again.”
The war has now entered its 681st day, with 49 hostages still held by Hamas.
Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of Israelis joined a general strike organized by the Hostage Families Forum, calling for the return of all captives in a single deal and for an end to the war. Demonstrations spread across the country, at major intersections, government ministers’ homes, and familiar protest hubs such as Kaplan Junction and the Ayalon highways.
RSS
Family Releases Footage of Matan Zangauker in Captivity
A screenshot of a video released by the family of hostage Matan Zangauker.
i24 News – The family of Matan Zangauker, the Israeli hostage held by Hamas since October 7, shared new footage of him from captivity on Sunday evening.
The video, obtained by the IDF, was recorded several months ago.
In the recording, 32-year-old Matan looks directly into the camera, addressing his loved ones: “Tato, Shani, Ilana, I miss you. God willing, we’ll see each other soon. All my friends and acquaintances, go out and make noise like only you know how.”
Matan was kidnapped from his home in Kibbutz Nir Oz, along with his partner Ilana Gritsievsky, who was released in a hostage deal last year. Since then, Matan has remained in Hamas custody while his family continues to fight for his return.
On the national protest day calling for the release of hostages, Ilana staged a poignant display at Hostages Square. Dressed in a wedding gown beneath a chuppah, she symbolically “married” Matan in his absence. “Matan, my curly-haired one, if you hadn’t been abducted, we could already be married. In a single day, our world was destroyed, and you’re not here to hold me. I’m fighting for you until you come back,” she said.
Matan’s mother, Einav, has emerged as a leading voice in the campaign for the hostages’ release and has sharply criticized Israel’s political leadership, accusing them of undermining potential hostage deals.
RSS
Hamas Rejects Israel’s Gaza Relocation Plan
Palestinians, displaced by the Israeli offensive, shelter in a tent camp as the Israeli military prepares to relocate residents to southern Gaza, in Gaza City August 17, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas
Palestinian terrorist group Hamas said on Sunday that Israel’s plan to relocate residents from Gaza City constitutes a “new wave of genocide and displacement” for hundreds of thousands of residents in the area.
The group said the planned deployment of tents and other shelter equipment by Israel into southern Gaza was a “blatant deception.”
The Israeli military has said it is preparing to provide tents and other equipment starting from Sunday ahead of its plan to relocate residents from combat zones to the south of the enclave “to ensure their safety.”
Hamas said in a statement that the deployment of tents under the guise of humanitarian purposes is a blatant deception intended to “cover up a brutal crime that the occupation forces prepare to execute.”
Israel said earlier this month that it intended to launch a new offensive to seize control of northern Gaza City, the enclave’s largest urban center. The plan has raised international alarm over the fate of the demolished strip, which is home to about 2.2 million people.