The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) faced backlash from fellow Democrats after endorsing a New York City rally that showed support for the recent Palestinian action against Israelis. This rally came in the wake of a surprise attack by Gaza terrorists, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of Israeli civilians.
The New York DSA chapter promoted the rally, emphasizing their “solidarity with the Palestinian people and their right to resist.” Notably, key New York Democratic figures such as Governor Kathy Hochul, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, and US Senator Chuck Schumer criticized the rally and expressed their disapproval.
While other leaders like US Rep. Jerrold Nadler and US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand denounced the terror strike or showed support for Israel, Governor Hochul made a symbolic gesture by hoisting the Israeli flag at her official Albany residence.
Despite facing criticism, the national DSA chapter stood by their stance, prompting the American Jewish Committee to question their support of the Hamas-initiated attack. US Rep. Richie Torres went further, calling out the NYC-DSA for their apparent antisemitism.
Brad Lander, the New York City Comptroller, remarked that the rally was in poor taste, highlighting the celebration of the death of Israeli citizens. Other political bodies, including the New York State Democratic Committee, expressed their condemnation of the NYC-DSA’s actions.
Additionally, the New York Jewish Agenda defended the DSA’s right to freedom of speech, but called out the organization for endorsing violent acts.
No comments were forthcoming from US Congress members associated with the DSA, such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rep. Jamaal Bowman. However, some of them, including Ocasio-Cortez, have previously spoken out against the Hamas attack.
During the protest, participants were seen cheering on the Hamas offensive and ridiculing Israeli counter-protesters. Some student groups from the City University of New York (CUNY) also supported the rally, and at least nine of these groups endorsed a planned anti-Israel rally. Concerns over growing antisemitism on CUNY campuses related to the Israeli-Palestinian issue were raised, but CUNY has yet to comment on these concerns.
Similarly, student organizations from universities such as Harvard have displayed support for the Palestinian cause, blaming Israel for the ongoing violence. This stance was condemned by Lawrence Summers, a former Harvard president, who expressed his deep disappointment with the institution.
The American Jewish Committee’s Ted Deutch criticized these student groups, accusing them of backing Hamas’s actions and vilifying Israel.
