NEW YORK (JNS) – The U.S. and Israeli war against the Iranian terror regime, which has orchestrated and abetted numerous attacks on civilians in America, the Jewish state and elsewhere, is getting in the way of New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s efforts to fight hatred of Jews and Muslims in the empire state.

Marcia Kramer, of CBS 2, asked the Democratic governor if the war in Iran is “exacerbating what’s going on” and making it harder for her to deal with Islamophobia and antisemitism.

“Yes, it is. Yes, it is. Both problems. One is, apparently the attacker in Michigan. I just communicated with my friend, Gretchen Whitmer, the governor there,” Hochul said. “Was supposedly inspired because he had brothers that were killed in the war. They’re members of Hezbollah, which is a terrorist organization that we are concerned about even in North America here. I will say that.”

“I get intelligence briefings all the time and we’re deeply concerned about individuals who are here trying to do harm to all of us,” she said. “So, it is making it difficult, because that has heated up the passions around this, and also on the affordability challenges. Gasoline prices are through the roof, and even if you don’t own a car, you’re paying for the higher cost of goods being transported to your grocery store.”

“There’s a ripple effect of everything and none of it is good,” she added.

Hochul also told CBS 2 that Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), who posted an image of Zohran Mamdani, the New York City mayor, sitting on a prayer rug alongside an image of the 9/11 attacks, and people like he “should not be in public life.”

“In fact, they are the lowest of the low,” she said. “I reject any kind of notion that it’s okay in public discourse or even in your own house to, not just harbor that hate, but to share it with others and to be part of a problem that we’re trying to deal with.”

“The rise in Islamophobia and antisemitism is off the charts,” she said.