Christopher Hitchens
The Enlightenment is Humanity’s ONLY Salvation.
From Politico:
‘New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani declined to sign onto an Assembly resolution this week recognizing Israel on the 77th anniversary of its founding — four months after the lawmaker passed on signing a separate resolution condemning the Holocaust.
Those choices are almost certain to make waves in this year’s mayoral race, where Mamdani is running second to Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary.
Mamdani’s critics laced into him for his decision, saying they’re evidence of a trend.
“He condemned Israel the day after October 7th, regularly gives interviews on unapologetic antisemitic platforms and just proudly accepted an endorsement from a disgraced former fire-alarm pulling Congressman who denied October 7th rapes before walking that back,” said Assemblymember Sam Berger, referencing Mamdani’s recent endorsement from Jamaal Bowman.
“His plan to ‘combat’ antisemitism is tossing more money at the Jews,” Berger continued. “At what point do we acknowledge that if it walks like a duck, talks like a duck and quacks like a duck — it’s a duck?”
The annual resolutions honoring Israel and condemning the Holocaust have historically been among the most uncontentious events in Albany. Mamdani was one of only five members in the 150-person Assembly who didn’t sign onto at least one of the two resolutions this year.
His campaign spokesman Andrew Epstein noted Mamdani has regularly commented on the remembrance day and condemned the genocide of Jewish people on social media.
“He absolutely supports the Holocaust Memorial Day resolution,” he added.
Epstein also explained that his boss “had to narrow down the capacity” because he’s running for mayor and working as a legislator, but conceded that he did not know why Mamdani declined to sign a similar Holocaust resolution in 2024, well before he started his mayoral run.
Mamdani’s name has been added to dozens of resolutions in recent years, on subjects such as Neurodiversity Pride Day, Police Memorial Day and Transit Equity Day. But Epstein said each of the eight he’s signed onto in 2025 were ones he was automatically added to.
According to Epstein, Mamdani opted against backing the Israel measure because it says the country “continues to strive for peace with security and dignity for itself, its neighbors and throughout the world.”
“That is belied by the conduct of the right-wing government over the past 18 months,” he said.
Assemblymember Nily Rozic, the sponsor of the resolutions and the first Israeli-born member of the Assembly, disagreed.
“Supporting Israel’s right to exist is a fundamental American value — one that goes back more than 77 years and that an overwhelming majority of Jewish New Yorkers support,” she said. “This is not something Democrats should be relitigating now when our resources and energies are greatly needed elsewhere.”
Cuomo has framed antisemitism as “the most important issue” in the campaign for City Hall. And Mayor Eric Adams, who opted out of the Democratic primary in favor of running as an independent in the general election, has also focused on antisemitism as he vies for a second term.
Mamdani was not actually spotted in Albany’s legislative chamber at all Wednesday, when the Israel resolution was formally approved by the full chamber.
Instead, he spent at least part of the day in Co-op City, where his mayoral campaign picked up the endorsement of Bowman, who lost his congressional seat in large part due to his criticisms of Israel following the Oct. 7 attacks and the pro-Israel funding those remarks motivated. — Bill Mahoney’
Link: https://www.politico.com/newsletters/new-york-playbook/2025/05/16/mamdani-passes-on-condemning-the-holocaust-00353271
‘New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani declined to sign onto an Assembly resolution this week recognizing Israel on the 77th anniversary of its founding — four months after the lawmaker passed on signing a separate resolution condemning the Holocaust.
Those choices are almost certain to make waves in this year’s mayoral race, where Mamdani is running second to Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary.
Mamdani’s critics laced into him for his decision, saying they’re evidence of a trend.
“He condemned Israel the day after October 7th, regularly gives interviews on unapologetic antisemitic platforms and just proudly accepted an endorsement from a disgraced former fire-alarm pulling Congressman who denied October 7th rapes before walking that back,” said Assemblymember Sam Berger, referencing Mamdani’s recent endorsement from Jamaal Bowman.
“His plan to ‘combat’ antisemitism is tossing more money at the Jews,” Berger continued. “At what point do we acknowledge that if it walks like a duck, talks like a duck and quacks like a duck — it’s a duck?”
The annual resolutions honoring Israel and condemning the Holocaust have historically been among the most uncontentious events in Albany. Mamdani was one of only five members in the 150-person Assembly who didn’t sign onto at least one of the two resolutions this year.
His campaign spokesman Andrew Epstein noted Mamdani has regularly commented on the remembrance day and condemned the genocide of Jewish people on social media.
“He absolutely supports the Holocaust Memorial Day resolution,” he added.
Epstein also explained that his boss “had to narrow down the capacity” because he’s running for mayor and working as a legislator, but conceded that he did not know why Mamdani declined to sign a similar Holocaust resolution in 2024, well before he started his mayoral run.
Mamdani’s name has been added to dozens of resolutions in recent years, on subjects such as Neurodiversity Pride Day, Police Memorial Day and Transit Equity Day. But Epstein said each of the eight he’s signed onto in 2025 were ones he was automatically added to.
According to Epstein, Mamdani opted against backing the Israel measure because it says the country “continues to strive for peace with security and dignity for itself, its neighbors and throughout the world.”
“That is belied by the conduct of the right-wing government over the past 18 months,” he said.
Assemblymember Nily Rozic, the sponsor of the resolutions and the first Israeli-born member of the Assembly, disagreed.
“Supporting Israel’s right to exist is a fundamental American value — one that goes back more than 77 years and that an overwhelming majority of Jewish New Yorkers support,” she said. “This is not something Democrats should be relitigating now when our resources and energies are greatly needed elsewhere.”
Cuomo has framed antisemitism as “the most important issue” in the campaign for City Hall. And Mayor Eric Adams, who opted out of the Democratic primary in favor of running as an independent in the general election, has also focused on antisemitism as he vies for a second term.
Mamdani was not actually spotted in Albany’s legislative chamber at all Wednesday, when the Israel resolution was formally approved by the full chamber.
Instead, he spent at least part of the day in Co-op City, where his mayoral campaign picked up the endorsement of Bowman, who lost his congressional seat in large part due to his criticisms of Israel following the Oct. 7 attacks and the pro-Israel funding those remarks motivated. — Bill Mahoney’
Link: https://www.politico.com/newsletters/new-york-playbook/2025/05/16/mamdani-passes-on-condemning-the-holocaust-00353271
