A pro-Israel group founded by unpopular former Gov. Andrew Cuomo has launched a television ad accusing young protesters of supporting Hamas.
“Do they really know who they’re protesting for? Hamas is teaching children to hate and murder while prosecuting gays and oppressing women,” says the narrator of the ad, funded by the group “Never Again, Now!”
“On October 7, Hamas massacred 1,200 Jews, Latinos, Asians and Americans, took hundreds hostage, raped and murdered women, and even committed beheadings and burning alive infants,” the 60-second ad continues.
A source close to the group, of which Cuomo is chairman, said the “big ad buy” would take place after the Fourth of July.
Political sources said the ad is the latest sign that Cuomo, who resigned in disgrace in 2021 amid denials of allegations of sexual misconduct, is seeking to return to the spotlight.
Sources say Cuomo is considering running for mayor of New York City next year and is seeking to appeal to Jewish voters and pro-Israel Democrats.
“We find ourselves at a critical moment in history where anti-Semitism is spreading unchecked and support for Israel in our country is eroding. We also have protesters in the streets who are not just pro-Palestinian but also support the brutal terrorist organization Hamas,” Cuomo said in a statement on Tuesday.
“We cannot be silent and we must counter lies and deception with truth,” he said.
“This ad has two purposes. One is to tell the truth about Hamas and what happened on October 7th. Two is to remind people that Israel is a victim. The reason this ad is so powerful is because what happened was so brutal,” Cuomo added. “We need to educate people about the real danger and why history must not repeat itself.”
The video shows footage of Hamas taking hostages and compares the terrorist group’s actions to those of the Nazis during the Holocaust.
The report alleges that Hamas has controlled the Gaza Strip for 15 years, misappropriating relief funds intended for Palestinians to build underground tunnels and promote attacks on the Jewish state.
“Hamas is a genocidal terrorist organization whose goal is to kill all Jews and then some. To support Hamas is to support terrorism,” the narrator says.
During his term in office, Governor Cuomo issued an executive order banning New York state governments from doing business with organizations that support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel.
His successor, Governor Kathy Hokul, continued the pro-Israel policy.
