New York City Mayor Faces Backlash Over Comments on Israel Attack

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has stirred controversy with his remarks concerning the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. Despite this, two prominent figures in New York politics have not yet commented.

Mamdani’s statement briefly acknowledged the Hamas attack on Israel, which resulted in over 1,100 Israeli deaths and more than 250 hostages taken. The main focus of his comments, however, criticized Israel’s actions in Gaza over the last three years.

“The suffering did not begin nor end that day. It continued through the Israeli government’s devastating, ongoing genocide in Gaza, in which it has killed over 74,000 Palestinians—including more than 21,000 children,” Mamdani stated on X.

He added that since the ceasefire, more than 1,400 Palestinians have been killed. Mamdani explicitly accused Israel of using bombs on ambulances, drone strikes on residential buildings, and blocking food aid at border crossings.

Representative Dan Goldman, a New York Democrat, criticized Mamdani’s comments, calling them “reprehensible.” Goldman emphasized that Mamdani’s remarks, disguised as grief, presented disputed allegations likely to upset those he claimed to stand with.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, both Democrats from New York, did not respond to requests for their reaction to Mamdani’s statement. They released their own statements following the attack.

Schumer, who is Jewish, described the attack as the “single deadliest day in Jewish history since the Holocaust.” He reiterated his support for Israel, though some Senate Democrats have become divided on this issue due to the conflict in Gaza.

Jeffries released a statement aligning with Schumer’s, acknowledging the Jewish people’s historical struggles and calling for an independent Palestinian state. He urged for significant changes in American policy in the region to prevent further bloodshed and achieve peace.