Mamdani defends wife Rama Duwaji as private person' after report on her pro-Palestine social media activity | amNewYork

"Jewish Insider reported that Duwaji, a Syrian-American artist who married Mamdani last year, had liked several posts referencing the Oct. 7 attack and pro-Palestinian messaging circulating on social media following the attack. According to the report, one post included imagery of Palestinians riding a captured Israeli military vehicle and breaching the Gaza border fence during the attack."

"My wife is the love of my life, and she's also a private person, the mayor said, adding that she held no official role in his campaign or administration. Mamdani said that as the city's elected leader, he would answer questions about his own policies and views, but drew a distinction between his responsibilities and those of family members."

"Another included the slogan From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free, a phrase widely used in pro-Palestinian activism but viewed by many Jewish groups as an antisemitic call for the elimination of Israel."

Mayor Zohran Mamdani defended his wife Rama Duwaji, the city's first lady, after Jewish Insider reported she had liked Instagram posts related to the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel and pro-Palestinian messaging. The posts included imagery from the attack and the phrase "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free," which many Jewish groups view as antisemitic. Duwaji also liked posts from activist organizations promoting pro-Palestinian protests and criticizing Israel's military response in Gaza. During a press conference, Mamdani declined to address specific posts, emphasizing his wife is a private person with no official role in his campaign or administration. He stated he would answer questions about his own policies while distinguishing between his responsibilities and those of family members. Mamdani has previously condemned Hamas as a terrorist organization and described the October 7 attack as a war crime while supporting Palestinian rights.

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