Politics
NYC Mayor Mamdani Faces Bipartisan Backlash Over Oct. 7 Anniversary Message
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s remarks marking the third anniversary of Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel sparked criticism from both sides of the U.S. political spectrum. In his statement, Mamdani described October 7, 2023, as a “profoundly painful” day and condemned Hamas’ “horrific war crimes,” citing the killing of about 1,200 Israelis and the taking of more than 250 hostages. He then shifted to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, calling it a “devastating, ongoing genocide” and referencing more than 74,000 deaths reported by the Hamas‑controlled Gaza health ministry. Mamdani said New Yorkers were “reckoning with this unbearable grief” while noting that U.S. tax dollars fund the war, and he accused the federal government of complicity through arms shipments.
Several Democratic lawmakers condemned the mayor. Florida Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz said Mamdani had “desecrated the memory of murdered, innocent Jews,” while New Jersey Representative Josh Gottheimer called the mayor “blaming the victims.” Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop described the remarks as “inappropriate and unnecessarily inflammatory,” and New York Representative Dan Goldman called the message “egregious and insulting.” Goldman told Politico that October 7 should be reserved for remembering the terror attack, not for broader conflict commentary. Brad Lander, who defeated Goldman in the primary, said he could mourn the victims while still acknowledging Palestinian suffering.
Jewish organizations also criticized the statement. Anti‑Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said the mayor’s message omitted Jews and repeated anti‑Zionist arguments. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee called it an “outrageous & disgusting rant,” and Israel’s Consul General in New York, Ofir Akunis, called it a “disgrace, shame, and insult to the memory of those who were murdered.”
Pro‑Palestinian activists also took issue with Mamdani, arguing he did not go far enough. About 200 anti‑Israel protesters gathered outside City Hall on Wednesday evening, accusing him of betraying the Palestinian cause. Protesters said they would not support him for re‑election because he had not fired NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, whom they described as a Zionist, or stopped synagogues from hosting events that promote land sales in the occupied West Bank.
Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent who is a close adviser to Mamdani, defended the mayor’s framing of the conflict. Sanders said Israel has the right to defend itself and target Hamas after the October 7 attack, but accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government of waging “a genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza.”
Mamdani’s statement had attracted more than 11 million views on X by Wednesday evening. The controversy highlights the difficult political position Mamdani has occupied, as his criticism of Israel energized young and progressive voters during his campaign while drawing frequent criticism from Jewish groups, Israeli officials and moderate Democrats. Mamdani has consistently rejected accusations of antisemitism, arguing that criticism of Israel and its government is distinct from hostility toward Jewish people.