Another politician is dodging hard questions with the finesse of a tightrope walker in a windstorm. Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, a senior fellow at The Atlantic Council and director of Realign for Palestine, has called out New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani (D) for sidestepping a clear condemnation of Hamas.
Mediaite reported that Alkhatib publicly criticized Mamdani on Thursday for failing to demand that Hamas disarm during a Fox News interview with Martha MacCallum the day prior.
Let’s rewind to Wednesday, when Mamdani sat down with MacCallum for what should have been a straightforward chat. Instead, when pressed on Hamas’ actions in Gaza, Mamdani danced around the issue like it was a political third rail.
His refusal to call for Hamas to lay down arms raised eyebrows, especially given the group’s documented harm to Palestinians.
Alkhatib didn’t hold back, and frankly, who can blame him? He labeled Mamdani’s responses as “very disappointing,” pointing out the glaring inconsistency in claiming to focus on local New York City issues while taking bold stances against Israel. If you’re going to wade into international waters, at least bring a consistent paddle.
Hamas, as Alkhatib noted, has terrorized the population of Gaza for years, even after fragile peace agreements with Israel. Yet, Mamdani couldn’t muster a direct call for the group to step down from power. That’s not just a missed opportunity—it’s a deliberate sidestep that undermines any claim of moral clarity.
During the interview, MacCallum pressed Mamdani on Hamas’ actions, including their failure to return the bodies of two Americans, Itay Chen and Omer Neutra, as promised.
Mamdani acknowledged the need for those remains to be returned, but quickly pivoted to his domestic agenda. It’s almost as if he thought affordable housing in NYC could erase the atrocities in Gaza.
“I think those are bodies and remains that should absolutely be returned,” Mamdani told MacCallum. Fair enough, but then why stop there?
“And I think that I have no issue with critiquing Hamas or the Israeli government, because my critiques all come from a place of universal human rights,” Mamdani continued.
Admirable in theory, but when the rubber meets the road, universal human rights should mean unequivocally opposing a group that harms its own people. This half-measure response feels like a cop-out dressed in noble rhetoric.
MacCallum wasn’t buying it either, repeatedly asking if Mamdani believed Hamas should relinquish weapons and leadership in Gaza. Each time, Mamdani deflected, emphasizing peace and justice without specifics. It’s the kind of vague platitude that sounds nice but carries all the weight of a feather in a hurricane.
Mamdani’s past statements add another layer of frustration to this saga. He’s been quick to denounce Israel and the United States for their responses to the events of October 7th, sometimes glossing over the horrors of that day entirely. Yet, when it comes to Hamas’ ongoing violence against Palestinians, the silence is deafening.
Alkhatib also aimed at the broader pro-Palestine movement in the diaspora for failing to address Hamas’ atrocities.
This isn’t just about one candidate; it’s a systemic reluctance to confront uncomfortable truths. When advocacy becomes a one-way street, it risks losing all credibility.
Let’s be clear: Mamdani has every right to focus on transforming New York City into a more affordable place for its residents.
But if you’re going to step into the arena of international critique, as he has with Israel, you can’t cherry-pick which human rights violations deserve your voice. That’s not principle; it’s politics.
Alkhatib’s frustration is palpable and, frankly, justified. A mayoral candidate shouldn’t be playing diplomatic dodgeball when asked about a group that’s actively harming the very people they claim to support. Leadership demands clarity, not convenient ambiguity.