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(AP)<\/p>\n
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is facing criticism from across the political spectrum over a statement marking the third anniversary of Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, with critics saying he devoted too much of his message to condemning Israel rather than commemorating the Israeli victims of the attack.<\/p>\n
Mamdani, a leading Democratic socialist and increasingly prominent left-leaning political figure on the national stage, began his Wednesday statement by acknowledging the Hamas attack, calling it a day that is “profoundly painful for so many New Yorkers.”<\/p>\n
“On that day, Hamas killed more than 1,100 Israelis and abducted 251 others,” Mamdani said. “We grieve alongside our many friends and neighbors who still carry that unthinkable loss.”<\/p>\n
He then pivoted to Israel’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza, saying, “The suffering did not begin nor end that day,” and accusing the Israeli government of carrying out an “ongoing genocide in Gaza.”<\/p>\n
Mamdani cited more than 74,000 Palestinian deaths, including more than 21,000 children, and said more than 1,400 Palestinians had been killed even since a ceasefire. He also accused Israel of bombing ambulances outside hospitals, conducting drone strikes against residential buildings and journalists, and turning away shipments of food aid at border crossings.<\/p>\n
“Many New Yorkers are reckoning with this unbearable grief, and we mourn alongside them \u2014 all while knowing that our tax dollars fund these war crimes,” Mamdani said.<\/p>\n
He continued by condemning what he called “occupation and apartheid,” saying that “war crimes are met with impunity” and accusing the U.S. government of “complicity with every arms shipment.”<\/p>\n
“To honor the dead, we must fight for a world in which every person can live with freedom, safety, and dignity,” Mamdani concluded.<\/p>\n
The remarks immediately drew criticism from Jewish organizations and some Democrats, while pro-Palestinian and socialist activists have separately accused Mamdani of retreating from positions they expected him to maintain after taking office. The Forward reported that more than 20 socialist and pro-Palestinian organizations were planning an Oct. 7 protest against Mamdani, accusing him of capitulating to pro-Israel pressure.<\/p>\n
Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt criticized Mamdani for failing to use the word “Jews” in his statement and accused him of using a day of mourning to advance his anti-Zionist views. Former New York City Councilman David Greenfield also said the statement risked further dividing New Yorkers. Former Democratic Senate candidate Alex Vindman said it did a “real disservice” to Democrats and democratic socialist candidates seeking support from moderates and independents.<\/p>\n
On the right, former Republican Rep. Joe Walsh also criticized Mamdani, writing that the mayor should have allowed Israel to have “one day” to mourn the victims of the Oct. 7 attack.<\/p>\n
The criticism comes after Mamdani has garnered national headlines over his increasingly public feud with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.<\/p>\n
Mamdani has repeatedly called Netanyahu a “war criminal” and accused him of being an “architect of a horrific genocide” against Palestinians. During his mayoral campaign, Mamdani pledged to have New York police enforce an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for Netanyahu if the Israeli leader entered New York.<\/p>\n
Mamdani later acknowledged that New York City does not have the legal authority to carry out the ICC warrant, but he has continued to call for the federal government to enforce it and for the United States to join the ICC. During a recent appearance on Theo Von’s podcast, Mamdani again criticized Netanyahu and said the U.S. should recognize the court’s authority.<\/p>\n
The dispute became a national story during Netanyahu’s recent appearance at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Netanyahu directly attacked Mamdani in his U.N. speech, accusing the mayor of spreading what he called lies about Israel and saying that many Jews no longer feel safe in New York. Mamdani responded by reiterating his criticism of Israel and the ICC warrant against Netanyahu.<\/p>\n
Mamdani’s position has also generated friction within the left. Pro-Palestinian and democratic socialist activists have accused him of backing away from some of the more aggressive positions he took before becoming mayor, particularly after he acknowledged that he could not arrest Netanyahu.<\/p>\n
His Oct. 7 statement thus placed him in the unusual position of drawing criticism from Jewish organizations and figures on the right while also facing protests from activists on the left who believe he has not gone far enough in opposing Israel.<\/p>\n
Mamdani is scheduled to attend a vigil for the Oct. 7 victims in New York and meet with Palestinian New Yorkers on Wednesday, according to his public schedule.<\/p>\n
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