NYC Council Speaker Menin Earns Standing Ovation for Oct. 7 Remarks
Menin's speech, delivered on the anniversary of the Hamas attack, focused on honoring victims and was seen as a veiled criticism of Mayor Mamdani's statements.
New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin received a standing ovation for remarks she made on the anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, emphasizing the importance of honoring the victims. Her speech, delivered on Wednesday, focused on remembering the 1,200 individuals murdered by Hamas terrorists.
"Today should be a day about only one thing and that is honoring and remembering the 1,200 people who were murdered by Hamas terrorists," Menin stated to an assembled audience. She also acknowledged the "215 hostages taken, families who are torn asunder and the Jewish community – both in Israel and here in New York City, that has been grieving."
Menin, the first Jewish speaker of the New York City Council, added that "this is a very, very difficult day for the Jewish community. And I think to say anything but that is not OK." The crowd responded with cheers and a standing ovation.
Her remarks were perceived by some as a counterpoint to statements made by Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who used the third anniversary of the Oct. 7 attacks to issue a statement that focused heavily on criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza. Mamdani's statement dedicated a smaller portion to the initial Hamas attack, in which over 1,100 Israelis were killed and 251 were taken hostage.
Mamdani's comments, which included accusations of "war crimes" and "ongoing genocide" against Israel, drew criticism from Jewish advocates. Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, expressed on X (formerly Twitter) that Mamdani's statement failed to mention Jews as victims and was "recycling your usual anti-zionist talking points" on a day meant for mourning. Mamaani's statement cited Hamas statistics and described Palestinian casualties, detailing suffering intensified by Israeli military actions and aid blockades. He called for an end to occupation and apartheid, and for accountability for alleged war crimes and U.S. complicity through arms shipments.
Many observers felt Mamdani's remarks detracted from the significance of the Oct. 7 attack, which marked the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust. They noted his failure to explicitly mention the targeting of Jewish civilians.