Yang Reaps Liberal Backlash Conservative Support From Israel Tweet

But as the current frontrunner, who has made a strong pitch for Jewish support in his mayoral campaign, Yang has drawn the most outcry over his stance — especially as it comes amid Eid al-Fitr, one of the most important Muslim religious holidays, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

“I’m standing with the people of Israel who are coming under bombardment attacks, and condemn the Hamas terrorists,” Yang tweeted on Monday night. “The people of NYC will always stand with our brothers and sisters in Israel who face down terrorism and persevere.”

Jewish leaders voiced their support on Twitter, as did prominent Republicans like Cruz, Donald Trump Jr., former Trump adviser Stephen Miller and Meghan McCain.

“I certainly would never ask for or want their support,” Yang said when asked Tuesday to respond to the tweets during a campaign stop.

But others excoriated the candidate for not mentioning Palestine or acknowledging Palestinian victims. Yang was scheduled to join the Astoria Welfare Society to distribute groceries in the heavily Muslim area ahead of Eid, but told reporters he was asked to stay away following backlash over the tweet.

“The organizers of the event decided it would be better if we did not attend and we were happy to abide by that choice,” he said when asked by NY1 why the Tuesday event was removed from his schedule.

Before a press conference in Astoria, where he was announcing an endorsement, a small group confronted Yang over the tweet.

“[One of the] holiest nights and [they] injured hundreds of people, women, inside of the holiest mosque, one of the holiest mosques, and you’re supporting that and you wanna be mayor of my city, wanna be my mayor?” Astoria resident Abid Rahman screamed. “Hell no!”

At one point, when another person asked him what he had to say to New Yorkers about his tweet, Yang said the conflict in the Middle East is “heartbreaking.”

“People are dying, civilians are dying, children are dying,” the person said. “Do you condemn Israel for their unjust attacks against the innocent Palestinians?”

Yang did not respond, and a staffer said he had to go.

Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) — who represents parts of western Queens and has so far avoided getting involved in the mayor’s race — tweeted Tuesday that Yang’s appearance in the neighborhood was unwelcome.

“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,” she tweeted. “But then to try that in Astoria? During Ramadan?! They will let you know.”

Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams and Ray McGuire, both fellow Democratic mayoral candidates, made similar statements in support of Israel, but they did not draw the level of national attention Yang did.

“Today on Yom Yerushalayim, Israel came under attack from Hamas-fired rockets in Gaza,” Adams tweeted. “Israelis live under the constant threat of terrorism and war and New York City’s bond with Israel remains unbreakable. I stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of Israel at this time of crisis.”

McGuire echoed the sentiment.

“In the last 24 hrs, over 100 rockets were fired at Israel by terrorists in Gaza,” the former Citi executive tweeted. “Millions of Israelis are currently under threat. The United States & the entire international community must stand unequivocally with Israel. On this Yom Yerushalayim, I stand proudly with Israel.”

Former nonprofit CEO Dianne Morales, who is running for mayor as an unapologetic leftist, was the sole candidate to mention Palestine.

“Our world needs leaders who recognize humanity and the dignity of all lives,” Morales tweeted. “Whether in NYC, Colombia, Brazil or Israel-Palestine, state violence is wrong. Targeting civilians is wrong. Killing children is wrong. Full stop.”

Yang has previously come under fire for his pro-Israel stance. In an op-ed in The Forward, he said his administration would counter the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement movement — which stands against Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories — because it “singles out Israel for unfair economic punishment.” He also linked the movement to “fascist boycotts of Jewish businesses.”

He was pressed on that position at the forum hosted by the Muslim Democratic Club of New York, where he drew pushback for comparing the movement to fascism, and promised to meet with Palestinian leaders and activists.

During the forum, he said that his concern is specific organizations that don’t disavow violent tactics toward a particular state but said he respects activists “making a case for what they think is right.”

“My view on BDS is that because of its failure to disavow certain organizations that have expressed violent intentions toward Israel that I disagree with it — but I have complete respect for people who have a very different point of view,” he said at the time.