J Street is thrilled by Kamala Harris’ selection of Governor Tim Walz as her running mate.
“As a J Street endorsee from his time in the House, we know Walz well. With his common sense approach to world affairs and a deep commitment to democratic values and assertive diplomacy, he’ll be a powerful, energizing messenger in the fight to protect our democracy and defeat the Trump-Vance ticket,” said J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami.
“Vice President Harris and Tim Walz both have strong records of pro-Israel, pro-peace, pro-democracy leadership. We know a Harris-Walz administration will fight for our shared values, protect our community and our democratic freedoms, and pursue smart, pro-Israel, pro-peace leadership abroad,” Ben-Ami said. “Our community shattered J Street’s political fundraising record the day we endorsed Kamala Harris. We’re all in.”
As Congressman, Tim Walz was a strong pro-Israel, pro-peace leader in the the House, voting for bipartisan funding packages to deliver security assistance to Israel while recognizing the urgency of a political resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
With his record of military service, Walz was deeply aware of the appropriate role of the use of force and of the importance of diplomacy to resolve conflicts. He brought that experience to inform his clear support of the Iran nuclear agreement in 2015 and for American leadership to find a diplomatic resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In Congress, Walz was an open critic of Israeli settlement expansion, while maintaining strong support for the state and people of Israel as well as for the US-Israel relationship.
As Governor, Walz addressed the Jewish community at a vigil after October 7, made clear he supports Israel’s right to defend its citizens, and ordered flags be flown at half mast in the wake of the attack. “You can hold competing things,” Walz said in March, reaffirming “Israel’s right to defend itself” and saying that the “humanitarian crisis” and suffering of Palestinian civilians was “intolerable” and “has got to end.” Walz has repeatedly called for humanitarian pauses and a lasting ceasefire to end the war and free the hostages.
In contrast to the balanced, steady approach of a Harris-Walz administration, the chaos and recklessness of a Trump-Vance White House would spell disaster – especially at a moment when millions of Israelis, Palestinians and others across the region are counting on steady US leadership to help pull back from the brink of a catastrophic regional war.
In the event of a Trump-Vance win, MAGA extremists here at home would be free to ban abortion nationwide, bulldoze democratic checks and balances, supercharge the climate crisis, roll back LGBT+ protections, hand victory to Putin in Ukraine, and sow division, antisemitism and conspiracy theories deeper into our society. In Israel, the extreme right would have full White House backing for their wildest fantasies – including reckless escalation of regional violence, an anti-democratic judicial coup, full West Bank annexation, settlements in Gaza and endless conflict.
“We cannot afford four more years of Trump. With less than 100 days left until polls open, J Street is doing everything we can to elect the Harris-Walz ticket,” Ben-Ami said. “We’re not going back.”