The group, founded by former New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, released its first television ads blaming Hamas for the Oct. 7 attacks and lambasting demonstrators protesting Israel’s war on Gaza.
The ad, released by Never Again, NOW!, targets protesters who sympathize with terrorist groups, which has become one of the most divisive topics this election season.
In the months since Hamas killed and kidnapped members of the Israeli community, clashed with authorities and intimidated Jewish students and faculty, at one point leading to anti-Israel agitators taking over several university campuses.
IDF spokesman says goal of completely destroying Hamas is unachievable, dealt blow to Netanyahu
Former Democratic governor of New York state Andrew Cuomo is blasting anti-Israel agitators in a new television ad set to air in the New York area after the Fourth of July holiday. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)
“Do they really know who they’re protesting for?” a narrator asks in the minute-long spot, which will air across New York state the week after the Fourth of July holiday. “When you support Hamas, you support terrorism.”
Cuomo, a Democrat who resigned in 2021 after being accused of sexual harassment by multiple women, founded the organization, a nonprofit social service organization in March 2023, which aims to educate and promote understanding of Israel-U.S. relations.
Cuomo has denied any wrongdoing. The group said it was focused on exposing lies about Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip.
“We are at a critical moment in history where anti-Semitism is spreading unchecked and support for Israel in this country is fading,” Cuomo said. “Some of the people protesting in the streets are not just pro-Palestinian, but supporters of the brutal terrorist organization Hamas.”
Gaza militants fire rockets at Israel, tank advance intensifies in north and south
Palestinian flags fly around an encampment on the Columbia University campus in New York City on April 23, 2024. Tensions escalated between pro-Palestinian student protesters and school authorities at several U.S. universities on April 22, leading to the cancellation of in-person classes and the arrest of protesters. (CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images)
“The ad has two purposes. First, it tells the truth about Hamas and the events that happened on October 7. Second, it reminds people that Israel is the victim,” he added.
The report described Hamas’s ties to terrorism, persecution of women and LGBTQ people, beheadings, and violence against children and infants.
“Hamas has ruled Gaza for 15 years, misappropriating relief funds and creating an underground war machine,” the ad claims. “Hamas is not a resistance movement with a cause. It is a genocidal terrorist organization dedicated to killing all Jews and beyond.”
Click here to get the FOX News app
Cuomo has been a longtime supporter of Israel, and in November called for the deployment of the National Guard to protect Jewish centers and synagogues across New York state.
Never Again, NOW! will be providing speakers in the fall to speak at conferences and in the media about Israel and anti-Semitism.
