NYC Mayor Criticized for Remarks on Oct. 7 Anniversary
Mayor Zohran Mamdani's statement on the third anniversary of the Hamas attacks drew criticism for focusing on accusations against Israel.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani faced criticism on Wednesday for remarks made on the third anniversary of the Oct. 7 attacks, during which he accused Israel of an "ongoing genocide" and "war crimes" in Gaza. While acknowledging the "unthinkable loss" of over 1,100 Israelis killed and 251 abducted by Hamas, Mamdani dedicated a significant portion of his statement to his ongoing criticism of Israel.
Mamdani stated that the suffering did not begin or end on Oct. 7, but continued through what he described as Israel's "devastating, ongoing genocide in Gaza." He cited Israeli actions such as bombing ambulances, targeting residential buildings and journalists, and blocking aid shipments as exacerbating Palestinian suffering.
"Three years later, we must refuse to accept a world in which occupation and apartheid continue, where war crimes are met with impunity, and our federal government continues its complicity with every arms shipment," Mamdani said. His comments have previously been criticized for making Jewish New Yorkers feel unsafe.