New York Governor Kathy Hochul faced backlash after making remarks that implied Israel has the right to destroy Gaza during a speech at the United Jewish Appeal-Federation of New York. Hochul later apologized for her “inappropriate analogy” and expressed her support for Israel’s right to self-defense while also emphasizing the need to avoid civilian casualties and provide humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza.
However, New York State Assemblyman Zohran Kwame Mamdani criticized the governor for justifying genocide in his post on X. The United Jewish Appeal-Federation Lawyers Division event at the Pierre Hotel thanked Hochul for her attendance and praised her for standing with the Jewish community and against antisemitism and hate in New York.
These comments from Governor Hochul come at a time when Israel has been escalating strikes across Gaza, with the United States, Israel’s top ally, stating its intention to veto another draft U.N. cease-fire resolution. Instead, the U.S. aims to broker a cease-fire agreement and secure the release of hostages between Israel and Hamas, with the ultimate goal of resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed Hamas’ demands as “delusional” and rejected calls for recognizing Palestinian statehood without negotiations. Netanyahu’s cabinet has firmly opposed any unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state, arguing that it would reward terrorism.
Netanyahu has vowed to continue the offensive until achieving “total victory” over Hamas and expanding it to Gaza’s southernmost town of Rafah, where a significant portion of the population has sought refuge.
The situation in the Middle East remains tense, with ongoing clashes between Israel and Hamas. The United States continues to play a role in mediating a peaceful resolution and securing the release of hostages.
