In his previous role as Pennsylvania attorney general, Shapiro championed the states constitutionally dubious anti-BDS (boycott, divestment, sanctions) law against Ben & Jerrys after the ice cream maker refused to license its product for sale in Israeli settlements. BDS is rooted in antisemitism, Shapiro wrote in a statement in 2021, as he condemned a company named for its two Jewish American founders. The stated goal of this amorphous movement is the removal of Jewish citizens from the region and I strongly oppose their efforts.
As governor, Shapiros particular animus against pro-Palestine activism has only grown more apparent and troubling. Last December, he played an active role in the GOP-orchestrated sacking of University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill. During a visit to Goldie, the popular Philadelphia restaurant co-owned by the Israeli-born celebrity chef Michael Solomonov, Shapiro condemned Magills testimony on alleged antisemitism on the Ivy League campus before Representative Elise Stefanik, the MAGA rights grand inquisitor. That was an unacceptable statement from the president of Penn, Shapiro said, referring to Magills unwillingness to accept Stefaniks slippery framing on what constitutes antisemitism. Frankly, I thought her comments were absolutely shameful. It should not be hard to condemn genocide. Magill resigned four days after her testimony and three days after Shapiros statement, legitimizing the GOPs wider assault on academic freedom, which would be repeated successfully against Harvard President Claudine Gay weeks later.
In April, Shapiros office baselessly claimed that a peaceful pro-Palestine encampment on the Penn campus threatened student safety. If the universities in accordance with their policies cant guarantee the safety and security and well-being of the students, then I think it is incumbent upon a local mayor or local governor or local town councilor, whoever is the local leadership there, to step in and enforce the law, Shapiro told Politico at the time. In May, he urged Penn to shut down the encampment completely. The University of Pennsylvania has an obligation to their safety, he said, once again alluding to nonexistent threats to the physical well-being of Jewish students. It is past time for the university to act, to address this, to disband the encampment, and to restore order and safety on campus. The university complied; one day and 33 arrests later, Shapiros office said Penn made the right decision.