New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is planning to attend a vigil remembering the lives lost during the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks against Israel before meeting with Palestinian New Yorkers as part of a series of events marking the third anniversary of the day.
Mamdani’s schedule for Tuesday includes an appearance on Univision, the New York City Fire Department’s annual memorial ceremony, an appearance on NY1, the Oct. 7 remembrance vigil, and a meeting with Palestinian New Yorkers.
Hamas-led terrorists killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took another 250 as hostages during the Nova music festival. The assault was the deadliest terrorist attack in Israel and triggered Israel’s ensuing war against Hamas in Gaza.
Mamdani, a socialist who has been an outspoken critic of Israel, has faced accusations of antisemitism from his opponents. For example, reports emerged that Mamdani’s wife, Rama Duwaji, liked several social media posts celebrating Hamas’s attacks.
His attendance at the vigil comes as some socialist groups in New York criticized City Hall’s response to the Oct. 7 anniversary.
Three local chapters of the Young Democratic Socialists of America joined other activist groups in promoting an Oct. 7 protest at New York City Hall planned for Wednesday. The New York City YDSA and City College of New York’s YDSA chapter later removed themselves from the post, while the New School YDSA chapter continued to feature the protest on its social media as of Wednesday.
The groups accused Mamdani of betraying his promise to support the Palestinian movement.
“Instead, [Mamdani] has repeatedly capitulated to zionist pressure: Criminalizing protests against the sale of stolen Palestinian land,” the group wrote in a social media post.
Earlier this week, Ofir Akunis, Israel’s consul general in New York, invited Mamdani to attend a film documenting Hamas’s attack.
“Perhaps after watching this film, you will truly understand why the Jewish State is so important and why we will continue to defend ourselves,” Akunis wrote in a letter to Mamdani.
Meanwhile, Mamdani has sought to make combating antisemitism a priority of his administration. His office announced a “historic” plan last month to combat hate crimes, including antisemitic actions. However, one of the groups included in the antisemitism plan has supported pro-Palestinian demonstrations following the Oct. 7 attacks.
Mamdani has also drawn criticism for his verbal attacks on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Earlier this year, he called for the International Criminal Court to arrest Netanyahu when he traveled to New York for the United Nations General Assembly, despite the mayor having no authority to carry out such an arrest.
Mamdani has repeatedly accused Netanyahu and Israel of genocide in Gaza.
“It’s not about me and him,” Mamdani said of Netanyahu. “It’s about the fact that he’s the architect of a genocide. It’s like, yeah, if I was the architect of a genocide, I would probably talk about anything but that.”
Netanyahu directly rebuked Mamdani during a speech at the U.N. headquarters in New York on Sept. 24, rejecting the mayor’s characterization of Israel’s military campaign.
MAMDANI’S ANTISEMITISM PLAN INCLUDES PROGRAM CO-LED BY CONTROVERSIAL ARAB GROUP
“Here’s the simple truth: Israel didn’t commit genocide,” Netanyahu said. “Israel prevented genocide.”
Netanyahu also accused Mamdani of aligning himself with Hamas, saying the terrorist group “would have done” the same thing to Israelis had Israel not stopped it.
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[ H/T Washington Examiner ]
