New York — New York’s mayor marked the third anniversary of Hamas’ October 7 attacks on Israel on Wednesday with a statement that has sparked backlash among some Jewish leaders.
In his statement, Mayor Zohran Mamdani acknowledged the “horrific war crimes of October 7” while also accusing Israel of committing war crimes and genocide in Gaza.

The mayor was met with boos as he arrived at a vigil in remembrance of October 7 on Wednesday night in Union Square, video from CNN affiliate WABC showed. He is set to attend a meeting with Palestinian New Yorkers following the vigil, according to his public schedule.

“This day is profoundly painful for so many New Yorkers. It marks three years since the horrific war crimes of October 7. On that day, Hamas killed more than 1,100 Israelis and abducted 251 others. We grieve alongside our many friends and neighbors who still carry that unthinkable loss,” Mamdani wrote in his statement.

    • Dearth@lemmy.world
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      4 days ago

      Did you know that Zionist has been used as a slur for longer than either Palestine or Israel was a state? Now you do.

      • Akasazh@lemmy.world
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        4 days ago

        Is it really a slur of the people it’s about chose the term themselves?

        It’s become a dirty word because of their actions, but it was their own moniker. The lovers of Zion.

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          4 days ago

          Yes. Black people in America use the N word for themselves. But it is still clearly a slur. i cannot believe you asked that question in good faith.

          • Catoblepas@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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            You believe the n-word is a slur that black people chose for themselves? Because reclamation and choosing a label for yourself are two incredibly different things.

            • Dearth@lemmy.world
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              2 days ago

              the only difference is the number of people affected and the length of time that the words have been commonly used.

          • kestrel7_7@lemmy.world
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            So what are we supposed to call the political ideology championed by Theodor Herzl? I wonder if he had anything to say about this himself. Anyway

          • Akasazh@lemmy.world
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            3 days ago

            You say ‘still use’ because originally it was derogatory, in the case of Zionists is themselves who originated the term, which they saw as positives.

            My point, which you choose to ignore, is that they themselves turned itinto a slur by their behaviour.

            • Dearth@lemmy.world
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              Your dad has pet names for your mom. If a stranger uses those pet names for your mom, your dad will be justifiably angry.

                • Dearth@lemmy.world
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                  3 days ago

                  It’s not an analogy it’s a demonstration of my point. Groups can use language internally that is offensive when used externally.

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        Literally don’t care. They’re supremacists.

        People who have very German names have been called Nazis both as a joke and as an insult. Doesn’t change anything. It’s your actions. If you’re being an asshole and not a Nazi and someone calls you a Nazi, it means nothing it’s just like being called an asshole.

        Zionists are antisemitic. Palestinians are a semitic people. Zionists are bigots and racial supremacists. Disgusting people.

        • kestrel7_7@lemmy.world
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          So. The term anti-semitism was made up by anti-Jewish racist Germans in the 19th century. It was supposed to be a more “scientific-sounding” alternative to the older term, Judenhass (lit. “Jew-hatred”) that would be more palatable to the gentile German people. At the time (1870’s or so) few people in Europe were too much concerned with what was actually going on with Palestinians or Arabs in general.

          This is why you see a lot of pro-Israel folks still use “anti-semitism” as shorthand for “anti-Jewish racism” today. The term, read literally, initially seems to include racism against all “Semitic” people as well (which is… what exactly? I truly don’t know, is it every ethnic group who speaks a Semitic language?). But the very term “anti-semitism” is just itself an old dog whistle for “jew-hatred” that is now becoming a cudgel that pro-Israeli folks use to bully folks into ignoring Israeli war crimes. Anyway

          • deft@lemmy.wtf
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            Yes but the word literally has an actual definition now that means the complete opposite of literally. Words and their definitions only hold so much water before people can just decide what they actually mean.

            So I refuse to let zionists own the term and believe it should be used to point out their hypocrisy. Zionists are antisemitic, I’d argue they’re the most antisemitic group.

            Also the whole concept of ethnic groups is unserious it’s made up grouping that I guess can be used to help specify what someone is talking about but overall it’s a group of languages and as far as I know the only ethnic group that derives their identity in this way which is extremely odd, to me at least.

        • Dearth@lemmy.world
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          nazi as a name has never been used as a tool of oppression of a minority group. Zionist has. Isreal is currently committing a genocide. Zionist is a word that has been used to besmirch, denigrate and ‘other’ Jewish people for over a century. If you want to critique the actions of Netenyahu’s government please do loudly and often. But you don’t have to do it with a slur.

          • deft@lemmy.wtf
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            But it has and currently is. In Russia the lie about denazification has been the justification for invading Ukraine. It’s also been used to delegitimize protests specifically in Hong Kong in 2019 where people were told the protesters were fascists, nazis and radicals.

            On top of that Zionism and Zionist is not a slur. People identify as zionist. That’s why the comparison to Nazi is perfectly apt both are ideologies people openly embrace.

            In the same light Nazi can be slung as an insult so can Zionist but that doesn’t make it a slur it is a legitimate neutral political term just like Nazi.