- Kamala Harris' new VP pick has been broadly supportive of Israel over the course of his career.
- But he's also taken a conciliatory approach toward pro-Palestinian activists.
- Both the Uncommitted movement and a pro-Israel Democratic group praised his selection.
Vice President Kamala Harris has chosen Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota as her running mate.
In an election that's been rocked by the war in Gaza and a swelling pro-Palestinian protest movement, Walz seems to offer something for everyone.
Like most other Democrats, Walz has long been a supporter of Israel. When he served in the House from 2007-2019, he frequently took pro-Israel votes, including voting to condemn a United Nations resolution affirming that Israeli settlements in the West Bank are illegal. 108 other House Democrats voted for it, while 76 voted against it. He has also met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Mark Mellman, the chairman of Democratic Majority for Israel's super PAC, praised Harris' selection of Walz in a statement, calling him a "proud pro-Israel Democrat with a strong record of supporting the U.S.-Israel relationship."
At the same time, progressives — including those who have accused Israel of committing genocide — are elated by Walz's selection, owing to his more conciliatory approach toward the pro-Palestinian movement.
After tens of thousands of Democrats cast "uncommitted" ballots in Minnesota's presidential primary — Walz took a sympathetic view, even praising those voters for being "civically engaged."
"This issue is a humanitarian crisis, they have every right to be heard," Walz said. "These folks are asking for a change in course, they're asking for more pressure to be put on."
Elianne Farhat, a senior advisor for the Uncommitted movement, said in a statement on Tuesday that Walz has "demonstrated a remarkable ability to evolve as a public leader," noting his past evolution on gun rights.
"While his past positions as a Congressman may have conflicted with anti-war voters, we hope he can evolve on this issue as he has on others, such as shifting from an A to F rating from the NRA," Farhat said. "As Harris' vice presidential pick, it's crucial he continues this evolution by supporting an arms embargo on Israel's war and occupation against Palestinians in an effort to unite our party to defeat authoritarianism in the fall."
Broadly, Walz has sought to strike a balance in his rhetoric on the war.
"You can hold competing things: That Israel has the right to defend itself, and the atrocities of October 7 are unacceptable, but Palestinian civilians being caught in this… has got to end," Walz told Minnesota Public Radio in March.
Walz has said at the time that he supported a "working cease-fire" in Gaza, signaling support for the Biden administration's efforts to secure peace.
Progressives may also simply be breathing a sigh of relief that Harris did not select Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania.
Though Shapiro's policy positions on Israel are largely in line with other Democrats, progressives and pro-Palestinian activists have drawn attention to his comparison of some campus protesters to the Ku Klux Klan.