Why is NYC’s Mamdani facing criticism over response to attacks on wife?
Al Jazeera
Mayor’s wife, Rama Duwaji, criticised for past work related to Palestine, while Mamdani’s response rebuked by some supporters.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has found himself at the centre of a political firestorm over his wife’s past illustration work related to Palestine.
The imbroglio began last week, when several right-wing news outlets reported on New York City First Lady Rama Duwaji’s past work connected to Palestinian author Susan Abulhawa and several incendiary comments Abulhawa has made.
But the response from Mamdani, who has since decried Abulhawa’s past statements as “abhorrent”, has sparked blowback from some of his own supporters, who say he risks reinforcing harmful narratives that conflate support for Palestinians with anti-Jewish sentiment.
Some critics also say the situation underscores a broader double standard in the US, one in which the first Muslim mayor of the country’s largest city faces heightened scrutiny, even as high-profile elected lawmakers launch blatantly Islamophobic attacks with little recourse.
Here’s what to know:
Mayor’s wife, Rama Duwaji, criticised for past work related to Palestine, while Mamdani’s response rebuked by some supporters.
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