New York’s former governor Andrew Cuomo is spearheading a new ad campaign that criticizes Hamas’s October 7 attack and challenges protesters opposing Israel’s actions in Gaza that have resulted in civilian casualties.
The minute-long commercial, set to air across New York State after the 4th of July, features a narrator questioning, “Do they really know who they’re protesting for?”
“Do they really know who they’re protesting for? Hamas prosecutes gays and subjugates women while teaching kids to hate and kill… If you stand with Hamas, you stand with terror,” the ad, sponsored by his new group, Never Again, NOW!, says. ⬇️https://t.co/86UJabSb0x pic.twitter.com/ZbscrZbAci
— Jacob N. Kornbluh (@jacobkornbluh) July 2, 2024
By launching this campaign, Cuomo wades into a highly contentious issue for Democrats as the November general election approaches. The conflict has sparked intense debates on American college campuses, disrupting graduations and sometimes necessitating police involvement. This divide has also permeated New York politics, where longstanding support for both social activism and Jewish identity has come into conflict.
The ad is produced by “Never Again, Now!” – a nonprofit organization founded by Cuomo and his former top aide, Steven M. Cohen. Initially named Progressives for Israel, the group aims to foster a greater understanding of US-Israel relations.
“Do they really know who they’re protesting for? Hamas prosecutes gays and subjugates women while teaching kids to hate and kill,” says the commercial’s narrator. “On October 7th, Hamas slaughtered 1,200 Jews, Latinos, Asians, and Americans, and took hundreds hostage, raped and murdered women. Beheadings, even burned infants.”
The former governor, who appears to be returning to politics after his resignation over sexual misconduct, issued a statement on Tuesday, saying, “We’re at a crucial moment in history where antisemitism is spreading unchecked and support for Israel in this country is waning. There are protesters in the streets who are not merely Pro-Palestinian — but embrace Hamas — a brutal terrorist organization. “We must not stand silent and we must make sure lies and deception are countered with the truth.”
“This ad does two things,” Cuomo added. “One, tells the truth about Hamas and what happened on October 7th. Two: It reminds people that Israel is the victim. The ad is intense because what happened was intensely brutal. We need to educate people on what the stakes truly are and why history cannot be repeated.”
