New York City Mayoral candidate Andrew Yang (Photo by David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New York City Mayoral candidate and former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang walked back a tweet that he had stood with Israel.
Yang had initially tweeted on May 10, “I’m standing with the people of Israel who are coming under bombardment attacks, and condemn the Hamas terrorists. The people of NYC will always stand with our brothers and sisters in Israel who face down terrorism and persevere.”
I'm standing with the people of Israel who are coming under bombardment attacks, and condemn the Hamas terrorists. The people of NYC will always stand with our brothers and sisters in Israel who face down terrorism and persevere.
— Andrew Yang🧢⬆️🇺🇸 (@AndrewYang) May 10, 2021
A couple days later, Yang posted a statement to Twitter stating a group of campaign volunteers told him that they were “upset” with his tweet because it “was overly simplistic in my treatment of a conflict that has a long and complex history full of tragedies. And they felt it failed to acknowledge the pain and suffering on both sides.”
Yang then said his volunteers were “correct. I mourn for every Palestinian life taken before its time as I do every Israeli. Suffering and pain and violence and death suffered by anyone hurts us all. All people want to be able to live in peace. We all want that for ourselves and for our children.”
— Andrew Yang🧢⬆️🇺🇸 (@AndrewYang) May 12, 2021
Some Jewish groups and pro-Israel Twitter users criticized Yang for appearing to walk back his May 10 tweet. “Americans looking for leaders with backbone. New York City desperately needs that kind of leader,” the Simon Wiesenthal Center tweeted. “@andrewYang #DefendIsrael.”
Americans looking for leaders with backbone. New York City desperately needs that kind of leader. @andrewYang #DefendIsrael https://t.co/4qPkLKxaLy via @nypmetro
— SimonWiesenthalCntr (@simonwiesenthal) May 12, 2021
Daniel Laufer, who works in communications, replied to Yang, “Nuance is important, but the volunteers may not be well informed. Hamas rockets already killed Jewish & Arab children in Israel. 1/3 of the 1500+ rockets fell short in the Gaza Strip & as in past conflicts likely killed innocent Gazans. Ignore pressure; keep the moral clarity.”
Nuance is important, but the volunteers may not be well informed.
Hamas rockets already killed Jewish & Arab children in Israel. 1/3 of the 1500+ rockets fell short in the Gaza Strip & as in past conflicts likely killed innocent Gazans.
Ignore pressure; keep the moral clarity.
— Daniel Laufer (@lauferdaniel) May 13, 2021
Yossi Gestetner, co-founder of the Orthodox Jewish Public Affairs Council (OJPAC), similarly replied to Yang, “Rockets are launched from civilian areas into civilian areas; motorists are pelted with stones; synagogues are destroyed and Torah Scrolls desecrated while the other side tries to do targeted strikes. The former acts need full condemnation regardless of complex policy debates.”
Rockets are launched from civilian areas into civilian areas; motorists are pelted with stones; synagogues are destroyed and Torah Scrolls desecrated while the other side tries to do targeted strikes. The former acts need full condemnation regardless of complex policy debates.
— Yossi Gestetner (@YossiGestetner) May 12, 2021
On the other hand, some local Jewish leaders didn’t think Yang’s statement would harm his standing with the pro-Israel community.
“He expressed his support [for Israel] and I think people appreciate that,” Ezra Friedlander, a government relations consultant, told the New York Post.
David Greenfield, executive director of Met Council, the largest Jewish charity in the United States, also told the Post that Yang’s May 12 statement is “the viewpoint of most people of good conscience,” as it essentially clarified that Yang supports Israel as well as the Palestinians. Greenfield also said that the criticism over Yang’s May 10 tweet was “unfair,” according to the Post.
More news and opinions than at a Shabbat dinner, right in your inbox.