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Andrew Yang, Democratic candidate for mayor of New York City, at a campaign event in Queens, N.Y., last week.Credit: SHANNON STAPLETON/ REUTERS
Shanna Fuld
May. 20, 2021 5:33 PM
As New York City residents prepare to vote in the mayoral primary elections next month, foreign policy may play an outsize role in the candidates they choose. Though the mayor’s only role is to govern the five boroughs, some in the city’s Jewish and Muslim communities are fiercely reviewing how candidates respond to the current flare-up between Israel and Gaza.
Candidate Andrew Yang, a tech entrepreneur and early frontrunner in the race, bore the brunt of the recent tension. On May 11, as clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police in Jerusalem reached their peak and Gaza militant groups began their rocket fire on Israel, Yang Tweeted: “I’m standing with the people of Israel who are coming under bombardment attacks, and condemn the Hamas terrorists. The people of N.Y.C. wi
Content warning: This piece includes a tweet using an offensive slang term.
Update: This piece has been updated to include a letter from Senate Republicans urging support of Israel.
When it comes to President Joe Biden reaching out to assure Israel s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, of our support, the news came many hours after it should have.
As it was, though, the Biden administration was alarmingly slow to weigh in on the manner to not only mourn the loss of life, but stand up for our ally. Sure enough, former President Trump, whose accomplishments included moving the Israeli embassy to Jerusalem, issued a statement.
New York Mayoral Candidate Yang Voices Solidarity With Israel Amid Ongoing Violence algemeiner.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from algemeiner.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Regional
By Reuvain Borchardt
NEW YORK -
Wednesday, May 12, 2021 at 6:02 pm | א סיון תשפ א
Andrew Yang (R) receiving the endorsement of Satet Sen. Jeremy Cooney of Upstate New York, at an event in Astoria on Tuesday. (Yang campaign)
Six thousand miles from the rockets and the riots, the violence flaring in Israel and Gaza is roiling the New York City mayoral race.
Candidates for Hizzoner of The Big Apple tweeted solidarity with Israel this week, drawing praise from Israel supporters and condemnation from Israel opponents.
At 6:11 p.m. Monday night, as Israelis cowered under a Hamas rocket barrage, Ray McGuire, a longshot Democratic candidate for New York City mayor, tweeted, “In the last 24 hrs, over 100 rockets were fired at Israel by terrorists in Gaza. Millions of Israelis are currently under threat. The United States & the entire international community must stand unequivocally with Israel. On this Yom Yerushalayim, I stand proudly with Israel,” and