Mamdani calls for end to Israeli 'occupation, genocide' after IDF detains volunteers in West Bank
Mamdani’s comments come after several other Jewish organizations and world leaders decried the IDF’s decision to detain around 90 volunteers who went to help Palestinian farmers.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani denounced the Israeli government's occupation and genocide of Palestinians. He called for the release of New Yorkers detained by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) while helping Palestinian farmers harvest olives in the West Bank. Mamdani specifically criticized the detention of Brad Lander, a rabbi who was released by Israel Police.
The IDF detained 90 volunteers who went to assist Palestinian farmers with the olive harvest in Nahalin, a town in the West Bank. Israel's Consul-General in New York, Ofir Akunis, condemned Mamdani's comments, stating that New York City should focus on its own affairs and emphasizing that the land of Israel is the homeland of the Jewish people.
Activists with Rabbis for Human Rights claimed that they had negotiated with IDF personnel to avoid detention, but received no response. They argued that the area they were harvesting in did not require IDF coordination.
Rabbis for Human Rights CEO Rabbi Jill Jacobs described the incident as a "state-backed campaign of ethnic cleansing," stating that the Israeli military forcibly removed those who came to protect Palestinian farmers. She emphasized that the detention of Jewish activists undermines Israel's democratic values.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
