On Tuesday, entrepreneur and candidate for New York City Mayor, Andrew Yang, sparked a leftist backlash after voicing support for Israel as the Jewish state fell under terrorist rocket fire from Hamas.
“I’m standing with the people of Israel who are coming under bombardment attacks, and condemn the Hamas terrorists,” tweeted Yang. “The people of NYC will always stand with our brothers and sisters in Israel who face down terrorism and persevere.”
Yang was immediately blasted over for his support of Israel, despite the accuracy of his portrayal of events, with #YangSupportsGenocide trending on Twitter. The mayoral candidate capitulated to the leftist mob on Wednesday, posting an apology to his Twitter page.
“I spoke to a group of volunteers for the campaign yesterday, some of whom have been with me for years. Many of them were upset with my recent tweet expressing solidarity with the people of Israel in conjunction with the violence in the region this week that has claimed the lives of innocents and children on both sides,” Yang wrote.
“They expressed to me that they follow and support me for a number of reasons, one is that I am a clear-headed person who follows facts. The other is that I am a human being who stands for universal values of fellowship and goodwill. They felt that my tweet 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 continued, adding, “They were, of course, correct.”
“I mourn for every Palestinian life taken before its time as I do for 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 our children,” Yang went on.
“Support of a people does not make one blind to the pain and suffering of others,” Yang wrote. “Again, most everyone simply wants to be able to live and pray in peace.”
“And that is what we want as well,” he continued. “I join with millions around the world in praying that the current situation be resolved as quickly as possible, peacefully and with minimal suffering.”
“For those who have spoken to me on this – thank you,” Yang concluded. “Continue to believe in humanity.”
— Andrew Yang🧢🗽🇺🇸 (@AndrewYang) May 12, 2021
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) — who has previously admitted that she is not an expert on “this issue” — condemned Yang for his comments.
“Utterly shameful for Yang to try to show up to an Eid event after sending out a chest-thumping statement of support for a strike killing 9 children, especially after his silence as Al-Aqsa was attacked,” Ocasio-Cortez tweeted. “But then to try that in Astoria? During Ramadan?! They will let you know.”
Utterly shameful for Yang to try to show up to an Eid event after sending out a chest-thumping statement of support for a strike killing 9 children, especially after his silence as Al-Aqsa was attacked.
But then to try that in Astoria? During Ramadan?! They will let you know. https://t.co/r721mHyfri
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 11, 2021
According to the New York Post, “Local Jewish leaders were largely unfazed by Yang’s revisions.”
“It’s definitely not going to hurt him,” said Brooklyn government relations consultant Ezra Friedlander, who is backing Yang’s opponent Scott Stringer, according to the New York Post.
“He expressed his support [for Israel] and I think people appreciate that,” Friedlander added.