Gov. Kathy Hochul defended Mayor Zohran Mamdani, saying Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lied when he claimed Hizzoner supports Hamas and has incited violence against Jewish New Yorkers.
Hochul, during a WNYC interview, was asked about Netanyahu’s Tuesday video message accusing the Israel critic Mamdani of “supporting the Hamas terrorist monsters who butchered our people” on October 7, 2023 and of “inciting riots against New York Jews.”
Netanyahu is “not telling the truth,” Hochul said during the interview, released Thursday ahead of the Israeli leader’s fiery address to the UN General Assembly.
“I have enormous disagreements with Prime Minister Netanyahu — and this is added to the list,” Hochul said.
“The mayor has never said he supports Hamas. He called them a terrorist organization, exactly at odds with what Netanyahu just said. He [Netanyahu] has hurt his own credibility.”
Hochul continued, “The mayor has not called for riots against Jewish people in this city, either. … Not telling the truth is something that needs to be called out.”
The Democratic governor said she’s a strong supporter of Israel and emphasized that the “atrocities” Hamas committed against Israelis on “October 7” 2023 “should never be forgotten.” She visited Israel just days after the slaughter.
Hochul and Mamdani have maintained a close relationship since he became mayor in January.
The governor delivered billions of dollars in additional state support to help the mayor balance the city budget earlier this year, and Mamdani endorsed Hochul’s re-election bid.
Mamdani has long criticized Israel and its government policies, positions that have strained his relations with segments of the city’s Jewish community.
He supports the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement against the country and does not support Israel remaining a Jewish state.
Mamdani blew off the annual Salute to Israel parade and has accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza.
Upon taking office in January, Mamdani scrapped executive orders issued by his predecessor, former Mayor Eric Adams, mandating the use of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism to combat Jew hatred and another that barred city officials from boycotting or divesting from Israel.
Mamdani said he has zero tolerance for antisemitism and has vowed to crack down on hate crimes, which have increased against Jews this year.
