New York City’s First Lady, Rama Duwaji, has issued her first public response to mounting criticism over past social media activity, as questions continue to swirl about statements and online engagement that critics say reflect anti-Israel sentiment and sympathy for extremist causes.
Speaking in an interview with Hyperallergic, the 28-year-old acknowledged her earlier remarks, expressing “deep shame” over comments made in her youth and stating that age does not excuse the impact of what she said. Still, she did not directly address several more recent and more serious claims, prompting detractors to argue that her response was incomplete and avoided key issues.
Reports published across American media outlets in recent days have pointed to a pattern of posts and interactions attributed to Duwaji spanning multiple years. Among the material cited are engagements on October 7, 2023, that appeared to praise the breach of the Gaza border fence and describe it as an act of resistance, along with the use of phrases such as “from the river to the sea.” Additional criticism has focused on earlier comments about Tel Aviv, including a 2015 post in which she wrote that the city “should not have existed” and characterized its residents as “occupiers.” She has also faced scrutiny over past expressions of admiration for Leila Khaled, who was involved in a series of airplane hijackings in the late 1960s and 1970s.
The issue has drawn further attention due to reporting on individuals connected to Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s political circle. According to Jewish Insider, senior campaign and media adviser Donald Bornstein spoke positively about Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar following his death, saying he “gave his entire life” to his cause while also ridiculing video released by the IDF.
Mayor Mamdani has attempted to separate his administration from the controversy, stressing that his wife does not serve in any official government role and remains a private citizen. His office also reiterated that he regards Hamas as a terrorist organization and has condemned the October 7 attacks as war crimes.
{Matzav.com}