Tim Walz Ignores Hamas in Gaza War Statement, Says Anti-Israel Protesters Have ‘All the Right Reasons’

Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz did not mention Hamas by name — or directly attribute responsibility for the October 7 massacre to the terrorist group — when asked how he and Kamala Harris would handle the war in the Gaza Strip.

Asked Thursday by Michigan National Public Radio affiliate WCMU how “a Harris-Walz administration would handle the conflict” and whether it would “break in any way with the Biden administration,” the Minnesota governor briefly mentioned the “horrific” terrorist attack without specifying who carried it out.

“I think what we saw on October 7th was first and foremost a horrific act of violence against the people of Israel. They certainly have, and the vice president said this, I said this, the right to defend themselves and the United States will always defend that,” Walz began, before quickly adding, “but we cannot allow what happened in Gaza to happen.”

“The Palestinian people have the right to life and liberty. We have to continue, I think, to push to make sure that we move toward a two-state solution,” Walz continued.

“I think we are at a critical moment. The government of (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu needs to start moving in that direction.”

“But I think the people who are speaking out in Michigan are speaking out for good reasons. This is a humanitarian crisis. It can’t stay that way,” concluded the man who could be a heartbeat away from the presidency.

“We have to find a way for people to live together in this situation. We have said it and we continue to say it: getting a ceasefire with the return of the hostages and then moving towards a lasting two-state solution is the only way forward.”

Harris and Walz both issued statements ostensibly affirming the Jewish state’s right to defend itself before addressing the questionable civilian death toll in Gaza, without mentioning Hamas’ culpability.

Critics have accused the Democratic presidential and vice presidential candidates of drawing a moral equivalence between the Israeli military and Hamas – and pro-Israel voices have once again condemned Walz after his comments became public.

“So Israel has the right to defend itself, except when it is defending itself, and Hamas does not exist in this narrative, and no Americans were murdered by Hamas this weekend, and my Zionist grandparents in Minnesota are turning in their graves over this disgrace,” wrote John Podhoretz, the comments editor, on X.

“Kamala Harris and Tim Walz want to ‘pressure’ Israel to ensure Hamas survives and kills again?” asked Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas). “And they believe that pro-Hamas radicals are ‘speaking out for all the right reasons’? A revolting moral equivalence.”

On Sunday, Walz literally dodged a question at the Minnesota State Fair about the recent killing of six hostages by Hamas, including American Hersh Goldberg-Polin.

“What is your reaction to the discovery of the six dead hostages in Gaza?” asked a journalist.

Walz ignored the question, turned and waved to the attendees and reporters before saying, “All right, thank you all,” and walking away.

He then issued a statement calling Hamas a “brutal terrorist organization.”

“The anguish of losing a child is something no family should have to endure. Gwen and I extend our deepest condolences to the Goldberg-Polin family after their son Hersh was murdered by Hamas,” Walz wrote on X.

“Hamas is a brutal terrorist organization and we condemn in the strongest possible terms the atrocities it continues to commit against Americans and Israelis.”

Crucial 2024 states, such as Michigan, are home to large American Muslim populations and other anti-Israel Democratic constituencies that refused to support President Biden in the Democratic primaries because of his administration’s support for Israel during the war.

Harris reportedly met with organizers of the group that launched the Noncommittal National Movement in July and agreed to discuss an arms embargo on Israel.

The vice president’s national security adviser, Phil Gordon, denied the interaction and said Harris would “always ensure that Israel is able to defend itself against Iran and Iranian-backed terrorist groups.”

In her first interview as a Democratic presidential candidate, Harris told CNN last week that she would not change policy, but suggested that Israel’s actions could have an effect on the US decision to withhold aid.

Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) said days later that voters could expect Harris to chart “a new direction” on Israel, while discussing ways the United States could withdraw funding for Israeli military aid.

“The vice president has made clear that she will always ensure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself against Iran and Iranian-backed terrorists like Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis,” Dean Lieberman, a spokesman and deputy national security adviser, said in a statement following Khanna’s remarks.