Shafi Attempts to Mislead Tarrant Republicans

Shafi Attempts to Mislead Tarrant Republicans

By

James Scott Trimm

Tarrant County GOP Vice Chair Shahid Shafi has been asked for months now to make a public statement that he will publicly support Israel with Jerusalem as its undivided capital, and that he would oppose creation of a Palestinian state within the historic borders of Israel, in keeping with our Texas Republican Party Platform concerning Israel.

Shafi has, for months refused to do so.  But now, less than a week before a vote by the Tarrant County GOP Executive Committee on whether or not to remove him, he has made a statement of sorts, but not the statement he has been asked to make. 

Instead of renouncing his endorsement by CAIR and repudiating this organization (in keeping with our Platform concerning CAIR), he merely claims not to have an association with CAIR.

And instead of stating that he supports Israel with Jerusalem as its undivided capital and opposes creation of a Palestinian state within the historic borders of Israel, he only says that he supports Israel’s “right to exist.”

In fact, Democrat Senate candidate Beto O’Rourk claims to support Israel’s right to exist” saying that Israel should “help the PA in negotiating in good faith and recognizing Israel's right to exist.”  

 (See O’Rourke: U.S.Moving Embassy to Jerusalem Was ‘Provocative,’ Provided ‘Incentives andIncitement to Violence’)

However Sen. Ted Cruz rightly asserts that Rep. Beto O’Rourke has “the most anti-Israel record of any Senate Democratic candidate.”

O’Rourk attacked President Trump’s decision to move our embassy to Israel, and he has supported creation of a Palestinian state within the historic borders of Israel (as does the Texas Democratic Party Platform.)

By contrast our Texas Republican Platform on Israel states:

207. Israel: We are grateful that the US Embassy in Israel has been moved to Jerusalem. We believe that Jerusalem should remain Israel’s undivided capital, accessible to people of all faiths. The United States should continue to support Israel militarily, financially, and technologically. We oppose any pressuring of Israel to make concessions they believe would jeopardize their security. We strongly oppose the anti-Semitic Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, on all levels, including and especially on college campuses, at the United Nations, and by anti-West non-governmental organizations. We believe there should not be a Palestinian state within the historical borders of Israel. Our policy is inspired by God’s biblical promise to bless those who bless Israel and curse those who curse Israel, and we further invite other nations and organizations to enjoy the benefits of that promise.

So Shafi’s claim that he supports “Israel’s right to exist” doesn’t really mean very much.  It is a statement that could and was also made by the most anti-Israel Senate Democratic candidate in this mid-term election!   

Shafi is using weasel words in an attempt to mislead Tarrant County Republicans into believing that he supports our Texas Republican pro-Israel platform, when in reality, he has consistently refused to do so! 

I can support Shafi’s right to exist, but I cannot support his suitability as the Vice Chair of a party with whose platform he clearly does not agree!

On November tenth the Tarrant County Republican Party Executive Committee will vote on whether or not Shafi should continue to serve as our County Vice Chair.