Hochul Accuses Netanyahu of Lying About NYC Mayor Mamdani

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has stated that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was untruthful when he accused New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani of supporting Hamas and inciting violence against Jewish New Yorkers. Hochul made these remarks during a WNYC interview, responding to a video message released by Netanyahu.

Netanyahu had claimed in his address that Mamdani supported Hamas terrorists and had incited riots against Jewish residents of New York. Hochul directly refuted these allegations, stating, “The mayor has never said he supports Hamas. He called them a terrorist organization, exactly at odds with what Netanyahu just said. He [Netanyahu] has hurt his own credibility.”

Hochul emphasized that Mamdani has not called for riots against Jewish people in the city, adding, “Not telling the truth is something that needs to be called out.” The governor affirmed her strong support for Israel and recalled the “atrocities” committed by Hamas on October 7, 2023, noting that she visited Israel shortly after the attacks.

Since Mamdani took office in January, he and Governor Hochul have maintained a close working relationship. Hochul provided significant state funding to help the city balance its budget earlier this year, and Mamdani endorsed her re-election campaign.

Mamdani has a history of criticizing Israeli government policies, which has at times created friction with segments of the city's Jewish community. He has expressed support for the boycott, divestment, and sanctions movement against Israel and does not advocate for Israel to remain a Jewish state. Mamdani also skipped the annual Salute to Israel parade and has accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza.

Upon assuming the mayoral office, Mamdani rescinded executive orders from his predecessor, Eric Adams. These orders had mandated the use of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's definition of antisemitism and prohibited city officials from boycotting or divesting from Israel. Mamdani has stated he has zero tolerance for antisemitism and is committed to combating hate crimes, which have seen an increase against Jewish individuals this year.