A Republican take: the Catholic League publicly challenged Mayor Zohran Mamdani after a Palestinian activist tied to his circle made openly hostile comments about Jews, stirring sharp reactions across New York.
Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, sent a pointed letter urging Mayor Zohran Mamdani to stay away from the 25th anniversary September 11 Memorial Service, arguing the city’s leadership must respect the memory of almost 3,000 Americans killed on that day. Donohue followed up on X, amplifying concern about Mamdani’s judgment and the people around him. That public rebuke framed a broader debate about who represents New York in moments of solemnity.
At the center of the storm is Palestinian activist and author Susan Abulhawa, who has worked with Mamdani’s wife, Rama Duwaji. Abulhawa has a history of incendiary language directed at Jews, and critics say her presence near city leadership is a real political liability for a mayor who claims to be for all New Yorkers. Conservatives argue Mamdani must answer for the views of his inner circle instead of hiding behind vague condemnations.
Abulhawa’s social media post quickly became the flashpoint.
“Europe’s holocaust has lost its meaning to the point that the whole world is sick of hearing about it,” Abulhawa wrote. “These clowns invoke that genocide with every perceived slight (even as they are committing or supporting a contemporary genocide). There is an extreme overrepresentation of Jews in every branch of government, media, and culture, but we have to listen to more holocaust whining because ONE d**n judicial panel didn’t contain enough Jews. Seriously, there’s something terribly wrong with them, and if moderate Jews don’t effectively reign [sic] in these extremists, it’s not going to end well for anyone.“
https://x.com/susanabulhawa/status/2083143399645778299
That language drove a cascade of responses from Jewish and civic leaders who say the comments put real people at risk and strain community relations across the city. Critics note that words like those are not abstract; they shape a climate where Jewish New Yorkers feel less safe. For many, the obvious question is why Mamdani surrounds himself with figures who spew that kind of rhetoric.
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Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, executive vice president of the New York Board of Rabbis, has expressed his concerns about the fear that many New York Jews have about living safely in the city. City Comptroller Mark Levine has called for a moratorium on “the endless demonization” of the Jewish community. Brooklyn Jewish leader Dov Hikind called out Abulhawa for “threatening” Jews.
Beyond the activist’s posts, critics point to a roster of endorsements and staffers around Mamdani whose statements are deeply troubling to mainstream New Yorkers. For example, Darializa Avila Chevalier claims “Israel does not exist” and the United States is a “f**king disgrace.” Those lines are extreme and they matter when city leaders promote or work with people who say them.
Republicans and other critics argue that tolerance does not require tolerating bigotry, and that public officials should be held accountable for the company they keep. The Catholic League is publicly calling out what it sees as blatant antisemitism in New York, and the criticism asks why other civil rights groups have been quieter. That question is political: it points to a gap between virtue signaling and taking a stand when a core American community is under fire.
For a mayor who promises unity and competence, this episode is damaging. It’s not just about one tweet or one activist: it’s about whether city leadership values the safety and dignity of all communities equally. New Yorkers deserve leaders who can draw clear lines and protect every neighborhood from harassment and intimidation.
