Leading New York City mayoral candidate Andrew Yang is voicing support for Israel, breaking with the more liberal wing of his party who are criticizing the country for ramping up airstrikes on Gaza.
Yang, a businessman and failed 2020 presidential candidate, tweeted that he’s “standing with the people of Israel who are coming under bombardment attacks, and condemn the Hamas terrorists.”
“The people of NYC will always stand with our brothers and sisters in Israel who face down terrorism and persevere,” he continued.
Other mayoral candidates also voiced support for the Jewish state, with Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams saying that he stands “shoulder to shoulder with the people Israel at this time of crisis” and former Citigroup executive Ray McGuire adding that he “stands proudly with Israel” after “terrorists” fired rockets at the nation.
The New York City mayoral election, which will be held on Nov. 2, saw an influx of candidates hoping to replace Mayor Bill de Blasio, who is unable to run again because of term limits.
Yang leads in most polls for the June 22 Democratic primary, but other candidates, including McGuire, Adams, and Comptroller Scott Stringer, have gained traction in recent weeks.
With the city having a large Jewish population, Israel issues featuring prominently in the race.
BIDEN ADMINISTRATION CALLS VIOLENCE IN JERUSALEM ‘UNACCEPTABLE’
Others in the Democratic Party, particularly the liberal wing, have been more critical of Israel’s actions amid unrest in the region. Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren tweeted that the “forced removal of long-time Palestinian residents in Sheikh Jarrah” was “abhorrent and unacceptable.”
“The Administration should make clear to the Israeli government that these evictions are illegal and must stop immediately,” she added.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont who caucuses with the Democrats, agreed. He tweeted that the United States “must speak out strongly against the violence by government-allied Israeli extremists in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, and make clear that the evictions of Palestinian families must not go forward.”
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said she stands “in solidarity with the Palestinian residents of Sheikh Jarrah in East Jerusalem” as “Israeli forces are forcing families from their homes during Ramadan and inflicting violence.”
“It is inhumane and the US must show leadership in safeguarding the human rights of Palestinians,” she added.
Monday evening, Israel launched bombing raids that killed more than two dozen Gazans after a clash earlier that day between Israeli police and Palestinian civilians left more than 300 people injured, including at least 228 Palestinians and 21 Israeli officers.
The recent violence comes ahead of Israel’s planned evictions of several Palestinians living in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of east Jerusalem. Palestinians view east Jerusalem as their capital, while Israel has claimed the entire city as its own. On Monday, an Israeli court delayed a planned ruling on the legality of the evictions.
Abu Obeida, the spokesman for the military wing of Hamas, said Monday’s rocket attack was a response to what he characterized as Israel’s “crimes and aggression” in Jerusalem, saying, “This is a message the enemy has to understand well.”
Israel is contending with the results from an election that left the country’s future leadership unclear. While five-term incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was originally given a mandate to attempt to piece together a governing coalition, he missed the deadline, prompting President Reuven Rivlin to give Yair Lapid, the leader of the opposition Yesh Atid party, the opportunity to put together a government. Both Netanyahu and Lapid have spoken in support of Israeli officers in the wake of the clashes with Palestinians.
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While noting the Biden administration’s “serious concerns about the potential evictions of Palestinian families from their homes in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood,” national security adviser Jake Sullivan encouraged the Israeli government to “pursue appropriate measures to ensure calm during Jerusalem Day commemorations.”
“Mr. Sullivan expressed the administration’s commitment to Israel’s security and to supporting peace and stability throughout the Middle East, and assured Mr. Ben-Shabbat that the U.S. will remain fully engaged in the days ahead to promote calm in Jerusalem,” a White House readout from a call between Sullivan and Israeli national security adviser Meir Ben-Shabbat said.
