The New York Post reports that New York City’s First Lady, Rama Duwaji, has publicly addressed for the first time a growing controversy over past social media activity that has drawn accusations of anti-Israel rhetoric and sympathy for extremist causes.
In an interview with Hyperallergic, Duwaji, 28, expressed “deep shame" over comments she made as a teenager, saying that being young does not excuse the harm caused by her words. However, her response stopped short of addressing a number of more recent and more serious allegations, leading critics to view the apology as partial and evasive.
Recent reports in American media have highlighted posts and interactions attributed to Duwaji over a number of years. These include engagement with content on October 7, 2023, that praised the breach of the Gaza border fence and framed it as resistance, as well as posts invoking slogans like “from the river to the sea." She has also been criticized for past remarks about Tel Aviv, including a 2015 post in which she said the city “should not have existed" and referred to its residents as “occupiers." In earlier years, she reportedly expressed admiration for Leila Khaled, known for her involvement in airplane hijackings in the late 1960s and 1970s.
The controversy has been amplified by reporting on figures within Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s inner circle. According to Jewish Insider, a senior campaign and media figure, Donald Bornstein, praised Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar after his death, describing him as someone who “gave his entire life" to his cause and mocking footage released by the IDF.
Mayor Mamdani has sought to distance his administration from the controversy, emphasizing that his wife holds no official position and is a private individual. His office also reiterated that he considers Hamas a terrorist organization and condemns the October 7 attacks as war crimes.