NYC Socialist mayoral wannabe Zohran Mamdani continued to offer a bizarre excuse Saturday about why he refused to sign a resolution denouncing the Holocaust, and blew off questions about skipping out on a separate resolution celebrating Israel’s 77th anniversary.
The pro-Palestine state Assemblyman from Queens parroted his staff’s response after the firestorm of criticism, insisting he didn’t sign the Holocaust resolution because he’s not co-sponsoring any resolutions in this year’s legislative session.
“This year at the beginning of the year, I told my staff that we would not co-sponsor any resolutions that came into our Assembly office, and that has nothing to do with the substance of the resolution. I’m proud to be a supporter of that resolution,” the embattled lawmaker said leaving a mayoral candidate forum hosted by the United Federation of Teachers in Midtown.
“I was proud to vote for the Holocaust resolution,” he added. “I voted for that resolution every year that I’ve been in office.”
“I would absolutely sign the resolution” in the future, Mamdani insisted.
The resolution calls on the state to proclaim Jan. 27, 2025 as Holocaust Remembrance Day in the state of New York.
He refused to elaborate on why he’s not co-sponsoring resolutions this year.
Mamdani also dodged questions from The Post when asked why he skipped signing another resolution Wednesday celebrating the Jewish state‘s 77th anniversary, opting instead to get an endorsement in the mayoral race from anti-Israel former Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-Bronx).
“Thank you so much,” Mamdani said Saturday when asked about the Israel resolution before walking away.
Mamdani is running second in most Democratic mayoral primary pols, trailing only former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, but his snub of the resolutions have sparked outrage as New York City counts the largest Jewish population outside of Israel.
Four other fellow socialist Dems joined Mamdani in not signing onto the pro-Israel resolution: Assemblymembers Emily Gallagher (D-Brooklyn), Claire Valdez (D-Queens), Marcela Mitaynes (D-Brooklyn) and Sarahana Shrestha (D-Ulster).
That resolution called for “congratulation the State of Israel on the 77th of its establishment and reaffirming the bonds of friendship, cooperation, and shared values between the people of the State of New York and Israel.”
It also designated 2025 as the “77th Anniversary of the establishment of the modern State of Israel in the ancestral home of the Jewish people.”
Mamdani’s campaign spokesperson Andrew Epstein told Politico the mayoral candidate opposes the Israel resolution because it notes Israel “continues to strive for peace with security and dignity for itself, its neighbors and throughout the world in order to fulfill the prophecy of becoming a light unto the nations.”
“I think that is belied by the conduct of the right-wing government over the past 18 months,” Epstein insisted.
Ex-City Councilman David Greenfield (D-Brooklyn), who now runs the Met Council charity, said Mamdani’s refusal to back the Holocaust resolution – no matter the reason — makes him “unfit to be mayor.”
“NOT supporting a pro-Israel resolution does NOT make you an antisemite,” he said on X. “However, NOT recognizing the Holocaust certainly does.”
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