Cuomo chooses not to comment on whether Israel’s actions in Gaza amount to ‘genocide’

Andrew Cuomo, a candidate for mayor in New York City, has not clarified if he believes Israel’s actions in Gaza equate to genocide

Andrew Cuomo, a candidate for mayor in New York City, has refrained from labeling Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide amidst ongoing conflict with Hamas.

“It’s a horrifying situation. We want peace—it’s been a long time coming. The violence in Gaza is really difficult to watch,” said Kristen Welker, the moderator for NBC’s “Meet the Press Now,” during a Thursday interview.

When pressed about whether he was avoiding the genocide label, Cuomo responded, “I don’t think it’s my position to decide that terminology in this political context.”

“But we need to get those hostages back. Let’s take down Hamas, the terrorist group, and reach for peace. My opponent often discusses this issue, but it really isn’t a core mayoral topic—yet it seems to be central to his campaign since it stirs strong emotions.”

Cuomo has entered the race following the announcement that current mayor Eric Adams would withdraw from his re-election campaign, facing off against Democratic candidate Zoran Mamdani and Republican Curtis Three.

Several lawmakers have started to refer to Israel’s actions as “genocide,” a term recently cited by the UN Independent International Committee on Inquiry which found that Israel had committed acts of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. The report noted actions that include killing members of a group and imposing conditions meant to bring about their destruction.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected these claims during a press conference in August, stating, “If I truly wanted to carry out genocide, it could have been done in a single afternoon.”

The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has influenced recent U.S. elections, including the mayoral race in New York City, which has a significant population concerned about the issue.

Mamdani faced backlash for initially hesitating to condemn the term “globalization of intifadas,” a phrase he distances himself from. While some Israeli activists warn that it risks inciting violence, pro-Palestinian supporters see it as a call for liberation.

Since that time, the Democratic candidate has indicated he discourages such language. During an interview with ABC’s “The View,” Mamdani criticized the October 7 attacks on Israel as “war crimes” while describing the situation in Gaza as “genocide.”

Cuomo has criticized Mamdani on this front, pointing out that he did not denounce the term “globalization of intifadas.”

Cuomo emphasized, “Mamdani hasn’t condemned that term. It’s significant; it implies violence against Jews.”

Welker responded, recalling their previous discussion where Mamdani appeared to clarify his stance. Cuomo continued, “If I were to say something like, ‘kill all the Italians,’ there would be substantial backlash. We can’t overlook statements that promote violence, especially when there’s real harm occurring in the world.”