Councilwoman Shahana Hanif reacted angrily after a Muslim organization criticized Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

By World Israel News Staff

A New York City councilwoman came under criticism after condemning a Muslim interfaith organization whose founder expressed solidarity with the Jewish community and criticized Mayor Zohran Mamdani amid rising antisemitic violence following the October 7 Hamas-led attacks.

Shahana Hanif, who identifies as a far-left Democratic socialist, reacted angrily to comments from moderate Muslim activists who have spoken out against Mamdani’s rhetoric regarding Israel, arguing that it has contributed to growing antisemitism in New York City.

“We are on our way to join @EndJewHatred to stand with the Jewish people and protest [Mamdani’s] refusal to stop religious freedom violations against the Jewish people, their intimidation and harassment under his leadership,” wrote Anila Ali, president of the American Muslim & Multifaith Women’s Empowerment Council.

The organization recently announced plans to participate in the upcoming Israel Day Parade in New York City.

Hanif sharply criticized the statement, replying on social media, “May Allah condemn you to Jahannam,” using the Islamic term for hell.

Hanif, who describes herself on social media as a “Brooklyn Bangladeshi Muslim,” appears to maintain a close relationship with Mamdani and posted a smiling selfie with him on Instagram on Sunday.

The councilwoman has a long history of anti-Israel activism, though she has previously walked back some of her remarks after facing public backlash.

In 2021, Hanif liked and reposted a social media post reading “Globalize the Intifada” on her X account.

Later, Hanif deleted the post and stated that she recognized “it is a phrase that is antagonistic, discriminatory and hurtful to many Jewish people, and so I have learned, and I will continue to learn.”

Hanif also voted against a resolution declaring a symbolic day in New York City dedicated to ending Jew-hatred.

Additionally, she has described Israel’s war against the Hamas terror group in Gaza as a “genocide.”

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The incumbent councilwoman voted against a resolution to establish ‘End Jew Hatred Day’ in New York City.

By Corey Walker, The Algemeiner

Maya Kornberg, a Jewish Democrat from Brooklyn, New York, has launched a campaign to unseat New York City Councilwoman Shahana Hanif, an outspoken critic of Israel.

Kornberg announced on Tuesday that she will seek to represent District 39 in the New York City Council. Much of the city’s Jewish community has expressed outrage at Hanif over her repeated repudiations of Israel, including her false accusations that the war against the Hamas terrorist group in Gaza constitutes a “genocide.”

“I am thrilled to announce that I’m running for NYC Council in District 39! With the Trump presidency looming, local governance is more important than ever, and the City Council is our best line of defense,” Kornberg wrote on X/Twitter on Tuesday. “Together, I believe we can build a district where everyone can feel happy, safe, and thrive.”

“I’ve dedicated my career to making democracy work better,” Kornberg added in a statement, promising that if elected she will concentrate on “standing up against hate, providing reliable constituent services, and delivering meaningful change for every resident in every corner of the district.”

Kornberg’s decision to enter next June’s Democratic primary contest sets up a showdown between a self-described “pragmatic” liberal and a far-left democratic socialist.

Hanif, who represents heavily Jewish neighborhoods in central Brooklyn such as Park Slope, has reportedly enraged her constituents by ignoring concerns about antisemitism and unloading an unrelenting barrage of criticism directed at Israel.

Following Hamas’s massacre across southern Israel last Oct. 7, Hanif issued a statement blaming the Jewish state for the terrorist attacks.

“The root cause of this war is the illegal, immoral, and unjust occupation of the Palestinian people. The Occupation has brought violence toward Israelis and Palestinians for over 75 years. There will be no peace unless the rights of all people in this region are respected,” Hanif wrote on X/Twitter on Oct. 13.

Despite Hanif’s presence on New York’s “Taskforce to Combat Hate,” she has reportedly refused to denounce acts of antisemitic vandalism and graffiti around the city.

Hanif was also arrested at an October 2023 “ceasefire” rally organized by the anti-Israel Democratic Socialists of America organization.

At the rally, protesters chanted “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” — a popular slogan among anti-Israel activists that has been widely interpreted as a call for the destruction of the Jewish state, which is located between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea — and held up signs reading “No, I do not condemn Hamas.”

Hanif later participated in the anti-Israel encampments at Columbia University in April. She posted a photo of herself from the center of the encampment, sporting a red keffiyeh and smiling.

“I’m proud to witness disciplined leadership from students mobilize for peace and against genocide,” Hanif wrote.

The incumbent councilwoman also voted against a resolution to establish “End Jew Hatred Day” in New York City, claiming that it had been brought forth by a “coalition that has concerning ties to far-right politicians who promote problematic and hateful rhetoric.”

Kornberg, who has reportedly spent months fundraising to enter the primary race, is expected to receive substantial backing from the community’s pro-Israel constituents.

Many District 39 constituents have expressed exasperation with Hanif’s unwillingness to publicly apologize for her past commentary and hesitance to tackle surging antisemitic hate crimes in the city.

The impending battle between Kornberg and Hanif comes on the heels of New York City experiencing a somewhat rightward shift in the 2024 presidential election.

Every single county in the New York City metropolitan area moved toward Trump compared to four years ago, and the Republican president-elect’s margin of defeat in the heavily Democratic city was 16 points narrower than in 2020.

In the wake of last month’s surprising election results, many Democrats are modulating their approach to controversial topics such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, seeking to strike a more moderate tone.

Many observers believe the District 39 primary race could indicate whether the deep-blue city has made an enduring shift away from far-left progressivism.

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