Former Miss Israel Has Unfinished Business With Mamdani’s Wife

Former Miss Israel Melanie Shiraz invited New York City’s first lady, Rama Duwaji, for coffee after their previous interaction at a Brooklyn cafe went viral.

“Last time I was here, you guys might remember so-called Mayor Mamdani’s wife wasn’t particularly interested in having a conversation with me,” Shiraz said in an Instagram video, in reference to the previous coffee shop encounter she had with Duwaji in May. “So since I’m all about building bridges, I thought I’d extend a personal invitation — Rama, coffee is on me.” She added, “We can talk about Israel, the Middle East, whatever you’d like.” 

When the pair first met in May, Shiraz said Duwaji’s demeanor changed after she revealed she was Israeli and Jewish. She then told Duwaji she was disappointed by the content Duwaji was posting and liking but remained open to discussing it with her. 

Duwaji came under fire for liking posts that celebrated the October 7, 2023, terrorist massacre in Israel. The posts included images and messages framing the Hamas assault as a form of “resistance.” 

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani responded for Duwaji at the time, saying, “My wife is the love of my life, and she’s also a private person who has held no formal position on my campaign or in my City Hall.” He argued that, as mayor, it was his job to answer political questions, not hers. 

Shiraz told the New York Post that if Duwaji took her up on the offer, she would insist that she “explain, face-to-face, how she reconciles her public positions and associations with the testimony of people who survived Hamas’ atrocities.”

The invitation follows an attempt earlier this month by Israeli representatives to engage Mamdani. Ahead of the third anniversary of the October 7 attacks, the Israeli Consulate in New York invited the mayor to an October 7 screening of a 47-minute film documenting Hamas’ atrocities.

“If he will come on October 7th he will see for the first time what the people he supports really did,” Israeli Consul General Ofir Akunis said. “Maybe if he will come, he will stop spreading his hate and blood libels against the state of Israel.” Mamdani did not attend the screening and on October 7 shared a statement that accused Israel of committing genocide. 

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s office did not immediately respond to The Daily Wire’s request for comment on whether Duwaji would take Shiraz up on her invitation.