Ex-NY Governor Slams Mayor for Politicizing Yom HaZikaron

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani drew sharp criticism from Jewish organizations and public figures after issuing a statement on the anniversary of the October 7th Hamas attack. While Mamdani began by acknowledging the victims and hostages, he quickly pivoted to strong criticism of Israel, accusing the country of war crimes in Gaza and questioning the use of New York taxpayer money to fund it.

Critics argued that Mamdani exploited a day meant for mourning Jewish and Israeli victims of terrorism to advance a political agenda against Israel. The backlash intensified when former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo responded on X, formerly Twitter.

Cuomo stated that October 7th should be a sacred day to remember the innocent lives lost to Hamas, the hostages held captive, and the deadliest attack on Jewish people since the Holocaust. He accused Mamdani of being unable to set aside his "ideological obsession" with Israel long enough to allow Jews to mourn, especially during a period of rising antisemitism.

"There are 364 other days for politics. Today, remember the victims. Condemn Hamas. Stand with the Jewish community. This shouldn't be hard," Cuomo wrote. Mamdani had previously defeated Cuomo in the 2025 mayoral election, despite Cuomo being the frontrunner in polls.