US Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) has ripped mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani’s controversial comments on the intifada — insisting the Democratic socialist should emphatically “denounce it” if he wants to rep the Big Apple.
Gillibrand, a pro-Israel Democrat, laid into Mamdani for refusing to condemn the “Globalize the intifada” rallying cry used by others as she demanded a sit-down with him so he can explain himself.
“As a leader of a city as diverse as New York City with 8 million people, as the largest Jewish population in the country, he should denounce it. And that’s it. Period,” Gillibrand said during an appearance on WNYC on Thursday.
The senator stressed that it was not enough for the 33-year-old Queens assemblyman to dubiously claim that “intifada” is not a call for violence but a broader term referring to resistance and uprisings.
“It doesn’t matter what meaning you have in your brain, it is not how the word is received. And when you use a word like ‘intifada,’ to many Jewish Americans and Jewish New Yorkers, that means you are permissive for violence against Jews,” Gillibrand said.
“It is a serious word. It is a word that has deep meaning. It has been used for wars across time and violence and destruction and slaughter and murder against the Jews,” she continued.
“It is a harmful, hurtful, inappropriate word for anyone who wants to represent a city as diverse as New York City with 8 million people.”
Gillibrand said she spoke to Mamdani on the phone after his Democratic primary upset over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo earlier this week, but wants a meeting to hash it out.
“I’ve never sat down with Mr. Mamdani. So I’ve asked to have that meeting. I’m going to have that meeting,” she said.
Gillibrand said she had already expressed her concerns directly to Mamdani about his statements regarding Israel and pubic safety — and that he’d vowed to work with her if he’s elected.
“This is something I care deeply about, and so I will be an advocate on these issues. These are things that I think are important to New Yorkers,” she said.
“And I will work with him when he gets elected, if he gets elected, to make sure everyone is protected.”
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