Mamdani criticized for statement mourning Oct. 7 and condemning Israel
Summary
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani released a statement marking three years since Hamas' attack on Israel, condemning both the attack and Israel’s military actions in Gaza. His criticism of Israel’s policies and U.S. aid to Israel has drawn strong reactions from Democrats, Jewish groups, and Israeli officials.Key Facts
- Mamdani’s statement called the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas "horrific war crimes" that killed about 1,200 people in Israel and took over 250 hostages.
- He also criticized Israel for what he called an ongoing genocide in Gaza, citing over 74,000 deaths reported by the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry.
- Mamdani said U.S. tax dollars fund these actions, and criticized the federal government for supporting arms shipments to Israel.
- Several Democratic officials said Mamdani’s message focused too much on criticizing Israel rather than condemning Hamas.
- Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz and others accused Mamdani of disrespecting the memory of victims of Hamas attacks.
- The Anti-Defamation League criticized Mamdani for using the mourning day to promote anti-Israel views and not mentioning Jewish victims explicitly.
- The U.S. Ambassador to Israel and the Israeli consul general in New York also condemned Mamdani’s statement.
- Mamdani has continually opposed U.S. aid to Israel and differentiates criticism of Israeli policies from antisemitism.
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